Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister
by n5d25d90
Summary: He's not just the geeky, perverted ladies man you think he is. There's more to him than that. Total Drama through the eyes of a teenage boy trying to live a life that's not his own.
1. The Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: Total Drama Island © Fresh TV**

**In case it wasn't completely obvious before, I am a Cody fan. I guess you could say I have a sort of empathy for the guy, considering that I have been down the road he's heading before. Not the "ladies' man" thing, but the "geek with crushes on girls who will most likely never like him back" thing. Plus, I think he's cool in his own right. And not the kind of cool he tries to be either. No, the REAL cool. The kind of cool that will actually matter once you leave high school (take it from a college student, that other kind of cool does NOT last very long after high school).**

**Part of the reason why I started this fic is to repair what, according to some of my friends and peers on the forums, the new directors of TDA are "attempting to destroy." Hopefully, as I write this "novelization" of sorts, I will succeed in doing so. Also, I live in America, and yet I want to try to stick with the **_**better**_** Canadian version, so if I type something that was actually a dub, please inform me (preferably at the TDI Writer's Lounge forum or by review, since I almost never read my e-mail) and tell me the real quote. I would greatly appreciate it.**

**The following fanfiction is TDI (and possibly TDA, though if I do continue into it, I'll wait until the show comes to the U.S.) from Cody's POV. Of course, once he gets voted off, I'll take the story to the Playa des Losers, though I may not go very far into it.**

**Now that that's out of the way, let's start this show:**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Prologue**_

Hey, this is Gwen. I'm unable to reach my cell phone right now. Please leave a message after the tone and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

**-beep-**

H-Hey, Gwen, it's Cody. I haven't heard from you in a while – just… making sure everything's going well.

Uh… so, yeah… nothing much has been happening here. Owen comes out here sometimes to crash. I'm still in college…

…Why the heck am I saying all this in a voice message?

Anyways, if you want to call back, you know my number. But don't think you have to or anything… yeah… I'll be going now.

**-click-**

Now, I know what this looks like. Don't get me wrong – I love Gwen with all my heart, but trust me, I'm not the pathetic love-sick loser on a leash or the psycho pervert stalker you probably think I am. Though I admit, I can be a little… pervy… I still know my limitations. And I also know when someone is waaaaaaaaay out of my league.

Sure, after high school, it doesn't really matter how "cool" you are, but for some reason I still find that maybe I'm not cool enough for any girl I meet. Sure, I've tried dating – blind dates, speed dating, you name it – but I haven't had much luck: most of the time it was either because I didn't feel we had a connection, or I thought we did and I was wrong.

Dead wrong.

But I was still happy. Why? Because I was able to make the one girl that was worth more to me than all the money in the world happy.

At a price, of course.

But it was worth it.

You see, as often as my one-track mind tends to overpower my overall integrity, there's still more to me than meets the eye. I'm not just some geek who thought he could get any girl he wanted, like how some people tend to see me. There's more to me than that.

Allow me to tell you _my_ side of the story…


	2. Introductions

**Finally! The site is back up! I actually typed this (and the second chapter) Sunday morning, so you can probably tell how peeved I am. As for the chapter, hopefully I didn't rush this too much to the point of "bleh." But that's for the reader to decide, not me.**

**Because of the freedoms I have in writing this, I may change some parts (the added parts, anyway) after a while, depending on if I think the new additions would be better. For now, though, you're stuck with this.**

**Total Drama Island © Fresh TV**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter One: Introductions**_

I'm not going to lie to you: before I realized who I really was, some of my intentions probably match your various, hurtful descriptions of me. And I don't blame you, either. Back then, my mind was completely… well… warped. I got caught up in the world of popularity, even thinking that I was popular myself. I believed that being a "player" was something to be proud of. If I knew then what I know now, maybe things would've played out differently – maybe she would've liked me back…

You see, I wanted to be on Total Drama Island because I wanted to… well… "hang out with the cool kids," I believe were my words. I also wanted to meet some lovely ladies, and I certainly did, but not in the way I originally planned.

The boat ride there was exciting! I mean, hey – we were going to be staying at a five-star resort, and with fancy boats like these… man… this is going to be SWEET!

Then… I saw the camp.

Right away, I shook my head and chuckled. Of course. Five-star resort, my ass. Whoever came up with that hook is a genius, hands down. And I was about to meet that genius in a few seconds…

"Cody!" I heard aforementioned genius say as I stepped onto the dock. "The Codester! The Codemeister!" We did a few poses and high-fived each other.

"Dude, psyched to be here, man," I said to the television producer. I made my way across the dock and checked out the ladies, three in particular (I would later find out their names are Bridgette, Lindsay, and Leshawna). "I see the ladies have already arrived. Alright!" I pointed to the girls. Bridgette didn't seem too fond of my flirting, but Lindsay and Leshawna seemed… amused, at the least.

Right away, I tried to hit on Leshawna, but she stopped me without missing a beat, obviously finding me to be quite predictable. "Save it, Short Stuff," she said, though politely. Well, at least it sounded polite to me.

Before I could check out some of the other girls on the dock, another boat appeared, carrying one of the strongest (and one of the scariest) girls I have ever met, including some of the ones I've dated: Eva. But I was compatible with just about anyone that wanted me around, and I was in a great mood, so I held up my hand to high-five her.

She responded by dropping her luggage.

On my foot.

"OW!" I shouted, hopping on one foot and holding the other in pain. "What's in there? Dumbbells?"

"Yes."

Okay, _now_ I was scared.

I overheard someone (Duncan) say, "She's all yours, man." I wouldn't find out until later that he actually wasn't talking to me.

Yet another boat appeared. I began to wonder if I'll ever be able to… get to know the ladies. I mean, I could be the first one voted off, you know.

A big guy stepped onto the dock. "WHOO! Chris! What's happening?" He laughed heartily. "This is awesome! WOO-HOO!"

I smiled at the big guy's enthusiasm. He seemed like a really great person…

Well, except for the smell, of course.

"Owen! Welcome!" Chris shouted, attempting to share the big teen's excitement.

My vintage gap-tooth ear-to-ear grin appeared as I saw Owen grab the host and trap him in a bone-crushing bear hug. "Awesome to be here, man! Yeah! Man, this is just so…"

"Awesome?"

All logical thought processes in my mind began to shut off. I turned to where the new voice came from, and gasped.

Okay, once again, I admit… my intentions weren't exactly pure back then, but can you really blame me? I'm a teenage boy – what do you expect me to calculate in my head other than **Hot Girl + Beautiful Voice = Thank You, God**?

But… she was different from all the rest, and it wasn't just because of her appearance, either. Just by looking at her, I could tell she was independent – her own thinker. She didn't let society tell her how to look, and from the way things looked to me she was giving society one hell of a low blow. She was amazing!

Later on I would find "amazing" to be an understatement, but I'm jumping too far ahead.

My thoughts came to an end when I heard another new voice: "Hi, you must be the other contestants. It's really nice to meet you all."

As nice as it sounded then, I learned to fear that voice.

Now, don't get me wrong – it's not that I hate Courtney, really, it's just… sometimes I think she's… well… annoying. And evil, but that's later. _Much_ later.

Courtney and Owen shook hands. "How's it going? I'm Owen."

Courtney greeted him back. "It's nice to meet you too, Ow… Wow!"

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why she reacted the way she did. In fact, every girl seemed to be hypnotized by the arrival of this show's next vict – er, I mean… contestant, Justin.

Wait, scratch that.

Every girl AND Owen.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, I let out a groan. The ladies didn't swoon like that when _I_ got off the boat. What's he got that I haven't got?

Finally, the last boat arrived, carrying the second and last girl on the island that, to this day, is still quite a mystery to me. Only this was a different kind of mystery…

**THUD!**

I cringed. That had to hurt.

Courtney went over to where Izzy fell into the water. She pulled the redhead out, and the redhead started shaking water off like a dog.

And then… she started rambling.

I still don't remember everything she said, she was speaking so fast, but I do know that at some point she mentioned lunch, because I remember Owen quickly agreeing with her.

Chris called for a group photo. Right away, I found myself standing next to the girl from earlier – the one with the beautiful voice. I'm not even sure if she noticed I was there, but I definitely noticed her. But I kept my act together and posed for the camera, giving the famous Richard Nixon double peace sign – the ultimate symbol of cool.

"Oops! Forgot the lens cap."

…

"Okay, hold that pose… One… Tw – oh, wait! Card's full. Hang on…"

"C'mon, man, my face is startin' to freeze," I heard Leshawna say, and I chuckled inwardly.

"Got it. Okay. Everyone say 'Wawanakwa'!"

As we repeated "Wawanakwa," all twenty-two of us became aware of the lack of stability of the dock under our feet. The weight was too much, and the dock fell, taking all of us into the water.

"Okay, guys, dry off and meet at the campfire pit in ten."

To this day, I still get the feeling that he knew that was going to happen.

-X-

During the little… "intermission" we had after falling into the water, I had managed to learn _most_ of the campers' names, though mainly through eavesdropping, since no one really seemed interested in talking to me. Well… except Owen, but he was talking to just about everyone.

Unfortunately (for me anyway), one of the names I didn't hear was the name I wanted to know the most.

At the campfire pit, we were listening to Chris, who was telling us more about the competition. I wasn't really paying all that much attention, though, as I was – you guessed it – checking out the ladies, Lindsay in particular. Once again, please keep in mind that I was a teenage boy with overactive hormones and the belief that I could get any girl I wanted. And before you start yelling at me, keep _this_ in mind: I'm not perfect. Don't expect me to act as such.

"Excuse me," I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard Duncan speak, "what will the sleeping arrangements be? Because I'd like to request a bunk under her." He pointed to another girl – a girl I would learn to dislike very, very much.

Heather.

She looked appalled. "They're not co-ed, are they?"

I'm not going to lie – a part of me was hoping yes.

"No," Chris answered. "Girls get one side of each cabin and dudes get the other."

Lindsay spoke up. "Excuse me, Kyle? Can I have a cabin with a lake view since I'm the prettiest?"

"Okay, you are, but that's not really how it works here, and…" The host gave her a stern look. "…it's Chris!"

Now, I'm not picky, but that was probably what turned me off for Lindsay. She wasn't the brightest light in the chandelier, and I was sure that if I did go out with her, she probably wouldn't understand anything I was saying. Hell, she probably wouldn't even remember my name.

Doesn't mean I didn't like her, mind you. A little boyish crush stayed, I'll admit. And besides, she wasn't the one I was interested in the most.

"I have to live with Sadie, or I'll die."

"And I'll break out in hives. It's true."

I chuckled inwardly again. Those two were Katie and Sadie, or "the wonder twins" as I refer to them sometimes. Personally, I found their obsessive friendship to be quite interesting. Owen has asked me once or twice if I would date either of them, but I'm not sure if I would want to get between them. Why? Well… you'll see…

"This cannot be happening…"

That voice again. I turned to its source just in time to see Owen put her and the jock in a double headlock. "Aw, c'mon, guys! It'll be fun! It's like a big sleepover!"

"At least you don't have to sleep next to him," I heard the jock whisper to her. At first I thought he was referring to Owen, but then I saw her glance toward Duncan, who was giving a deer a noogie. I shuddered, reminding myself to _never _get on that guy's bad side.

Chris somehow managed to get everyone's attention again. He was announcing the teams, and judging by the way she perked up slightly when he read that first name, I learned her name was "Gwen."

I turned back to Chris just in time to hear my name called, as well as the blonde standing next to me. After the rest of the names for our team were called, I realized something.

He split up the wonder twins.

My realization was confirmed when he named off the campers in our opposing team. Instantly, they made it known. It was as if the other had died.

I looked at the television host again. This guy wasn't just a genius.

He was a frickin' _evil_ genius.

After the teams were finalized, Chris gave us more information about the show. Then, he sent us off to find the cabins. Which wasn't very hard – they weren't too far away from the dock OR the campfire pit.

I watched Gwen walk by me, and my heart suddenly did a flip. A feeling rose in me, one I couldn't describe. Was this love? Or just really strong infatuation?

Only one way to find out…

I followed her to the cabin.

-X-

Heather cringed. "Bunk beds? Isn't this a little…summer camp?"

"That's the idea, genius."

I smiled at Gwen's wit. She definitely wasn't like any girl I had ever met.

I decided to make my first move. "You're so smart," I said, hoping I didn't sound condescending to her. "I feel that."

She practically growled at me. "Shouldn't you be on the boys' side?"

I grinned sheepishly, knowing this wasn't going to end well.

Sure enough, I found myself flying out of the cabin, passing Leshawna along the way. I wound up crash landing on the ground with a large tuft of grass and dirt in my mouth.

As I opened my eyes, I found a pair of shoes in front of my face. They belonged to Chris.

Taking the tuft of grass and dirt with me, I sat up on my knees. That's when I heard a conversation I would never forget for as long as I live…

"Where are the outlets? I have to plug in my straightening iron."

The man in front of me answered her question. "There are some in the communal bathrooms just across the way."

"Communal bathrooms? But I'm not Catholic."

"…Not communion, _communal_."

I chuckled inwardly and turned toward Lindsay, who was now joined by the lovely Gwen. "It means we shower together… idiot."

As Lindsay started to whine, I found myself going goggle-eyed over the goth girl. It was a shame that she was such a downer. If that girl were only to smile, I just knew she would, without a doubt, be the loveliest girl that ever walked the earth.

**-X-**

**Thus, chapter one is finished. Cody's on an island with the "cool kids" and several pretty ladies, including the future girl of his dreams. Sounds like a pretty lucky guy, right? (gets ready to NCIS-slap anyone who says "yes", as by now you should've watched the entire season)**


	3. The Cliff

**Alright, I'm using the Total Drama Wiki (definitely not the most reliable site, mind you, but hopefully it'll work out) to find out what's been dubbed. Now, some dubs I knew about beforehand, but others I had to find on the wiki. Still, I would really appreciate it if you inform me of any dub I may miss.**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Two: The Cliff**_

I made myself at home in the Screaming Gophers cabin (_boys' _side, I made sure). It really didn't look much different from the girls' side, and for the sake of my health I hoped I never confuse the two sides and accidentally walk into the wrong one.

Three guys were already in there – the three that I will eventually grow to befriend and respect with great… well… respect.

One of them was the big guy, Owen, from earlier. "I seriously didn't mean it like that. I just mean it would suck if we had to be around them every waking moment of the day. …I mean – !"

"Hey," the second one greeted, ignoring Owen's rant. "Cody, right?" He held out his hand.

I shook it. "Yep. And you are…?"

"Trent. And that's Noah over there."

The third guy, sitting on a lower bunk reading a book, waved without even looking up at me.

Meh. Whatever.

"So, how's life on the campgrounds so far, Cody?" Trent asked.

"Um… not so bad, really."

I had no idea…

Suddenly, we heard a blood-curdling scream, and the next thing I knew, I was hiding under Noah's bunk.

"What the hell was that?" Owen gaped.

Trent reluctantly left the cabin. About ten seconds later, he came back, his bored expression completely contradicting his earlier frightened expression. "Cockroach."

Suddenly I heard Noah's voice above me. "You can come out now, 'Codemeister'."

Embarrassed, I crawled out from under the bunk. "N-Never speak of this…"

Trent chuckled. "Yeah, but you might want to change your pants."

I looked down and groaned.

-X-

"Listen up! I serve it three times a day, and you will eat it three times a day!"

At first, I thought they hired Samuel L. Jackson as our cook.

And sometimes… I wish they did…

"Grab your tray, get your food, and sit your butts down NOW!"

Beth, the first person in line, was the first to "challenge" the cook. "Excuse me, will we be getting all the major food groups?"

"Yeah, 'cause I get hypoglycemic real bad if I don't get enough sugar," Harold added.

I felt for the guy; I have hypoglycemia too.

"You'll get – SHUT THE HECK UP!" the cook shouted at Harold.

I decided to keep quiet about my hypoglycemia after that. As the line moved forward, I began to ponder to myself, 'How many people will I be afraid of by the end of the day?'

-X-

I began to feel queasy as I stirred my slop.

"…Okay, I cannot eat this," I heard Heather say.

"You and me both, sister," Noah said, quite effeminately, I might add.

"Well, at least there's one thing we can all agree on," Gwen groaned as she eyed the mess that was once a Sloppy Joe – a _living_ Sloppy Joe.

I smiled. Even if she wasn't very optimistic (understatement), she still had a sort of… a sort of charm, I guess. Does that sound weird to you? 'Cause it does to me.

At that, Chris walked in, welcoming us to the main lodge.

"Yo, my man," Geoff spoke up, "can we order a pizza?"

Not missing a beat, a butcher knife found its way to the opposite wall, narrowly missing Geoff and Trent's heads.

"It's cool, G! Brown slop is cool!" Geoff quickly shouted, defending himself. I found myself lowering and hiding behind my slop in fear.

"Your first challenge begins in one hour," Chris said as if none of us were almost beheaded by an insane chef. He walked out, leaving us there with aforementioned psycho.

I heard a girl's voice at the other table. "What do you think they'll make us do?" I rose up from behind my slop and overheard DJ say the following line:

"It's our first challenge. How hard can it be?"

That's a kind of question you never, ever, _ever _ask.

-X-

The first challenge was a cliff dive. A cliff dive. A frickin' cliff dive. A frickin' cliff dive into a lake filled with frickin' man-eating sharks.

I almost wet my trunks when Chris explained the challenge.

I _did _wet my trunks on the way down. (It was a good thing I was heading for water)

But I'm getting a little too far ahead of myself here.

One thing's for sure, DJ's words will stay with me forever: "Oh, **(Poppycock)**!"

Sorry. 4Kids is censoring my story.

Once Chris was done with his explanation, which left us all wide-eyed and sweating profusely, Bridgette walked up to the edge of the cliff. "Oh. Wow… So, who wants to go first?"

No one replied. I don't blame them.

"Hey, don't sweat it, guys," Owen said, trying to cheer us up. "I hear that these shows always make the interns do the stunts first to make sure they're survivable."

I gulped. "I hope you're right, Owen." I looked over at the Killer Bass team, wondering who they would send first. Bridgette seemed to volunteer. I'm not going to lie, going first makes her really admirable and respectable in my book.

Overcharged with confidence from Bridgette's jump, Tyler – the jock – decided to jump next. I wasn't near the cliff, so I didn't see what happened, but that loud "clang" I heard did NOT sound good…

Geoff, Eva, and Duncan jumped next, Duncan looking as if nothing exciting was happening at all.

Then, DJ walked up to the edge…

"Uh-uh. No way, man. I'm not jumping."

"Scared of heights?" Chris inquired.

"Yeah, ever since I was a kid."

Once again, I couldn't blame the guy. Personally, I didn't want to jump off the cliff either. If anything I will only jump if I need to. I secretly hoped more than just DJ would refuse to jump.

Ezekiel jumped next. I didn't watch, but I heard a sickening sound after he jumped. Someone informed me later that he hit the side of the cliff. It's amazing the guy was still alive, let alone virtually injury free!

Harold jumped after Zeke. This time, I decided to watch, but I wish I didn't. It was just too painful…

"AHHHHHHHH!!" Harold shouted as he hit the water. He held his groin and shouted in pain again before sinking.

"Ooooh! Hate to see that happen," I heard Chris say.

Courtney walked up to the host. "Excuse me, Chris. I have a medical condition."

"What condition?"

"A condition that prevents me from jumping off cliffs."

I chuckled, mostly because it was such a bad excuse, one that I could tell was definitely not going to work on the television producer.

Chris decided to reply. "You can chicken out if you want, but it might end up costing your team the win. And then they'll hate you."

"It's a calculated risk. I've seen the other team, and I don't think nine of them will jump," she said, looking over at us.

Any sort of empathy or respect I may have had for her before had just been thrown out the window with that statement. _She _was going down.

The confidence in me raised tenfold.

After Courtney left with a chicken hat on her head, Chris continued: "Let's tally up the results. That's eight jumpers and two chickens. We're missing one."

I thought about who had jumped and who still had to jump on the other team. He had miscalculated the numbers – both Izzy and Sadie had to jump. But I was afraid of what Chris would do to me if I corrected him on national television, so I kept my mouth shut.

After Katie and Sadie decided to annoy Chris about their being separated for the umpteenth time, Izzy said she would switch teams to fix the situation. Chris finally gave in, much to my surprise. I watched as the wonder twins jumped into the lake together, smiling and shaking my head.

"Okay, so that's nine jumpers and two chickens," Chris said, finally getting his calculations right. "Screaming Gophers, if you can beat that, we'll throw in a pull cart to put your crates on."

Trent grinned. "Nice! Okay, guys, who's up first?"

Silence.

"I'm sorry," Heather started, breaking the silence. "There's no way I'm doing this."

"Why not?" Beth asked.

"Hello!" the raven-haired popularity queen defended. "National TV! I'll get my hair wet."

"You're kidding, right?" Gwen scoffed, saying what was pretty much on everyone else's (including my own) minds.

"If she's not doing it, I'm not doing it," Lindsay said with a smirk.

This is where I found myself in a pickle. If they didn't jump, then there's no way around it – I would _definitely_ have to jump. Sure, I wanted to more than ever after Courtney's comment about our team, but now it felt more like a necessity than a duty.

"Oh, you're doing it," Leshawna said, getting up in Heather's face.

"Says who?"

"Says me! I'm not losing this challenge 'cause you got your hair did, you spoiled little daddy's girl!"

My eyes widened with fear. This wasn't going to end well.

Lindsay obviously agreed with me, as she backed away from the argument.

"Back off, ghetto-glamour, too-tight-pants-wearing, rap-star-wannabe."

"Mall-shopping, pony-tail-wearing, _Teen-Girl_-reading, peaking-in-high-school, prom queen!"

"…Well, at least I'm popular."

My eyes were as big as dinner plates by this point. I heard Gwen gasp – I probably would've found myself going lost in my thoughts (again) if I wasn't too busy watching (in fear) of the fight in front of me.

"You're jumping!"

"Make me!"

Heather probably shouldn't have said that, as Leshawna was now holding the popular girl over her head. She went over to the edge and _literally_ threw Heather off the cliff.

After all was said and done, I turned to Noah and whispered:

"Remind me never to make Leshawna mad…"

**-X-**

**I assure you, the next chapter will (hopefully) be better than this one, and a little less "episode-oriented" at that.**


	4. The Hot Tub

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Three: The Hot Tub**_

I was shocked by how fast the ghetto girl went from extremely pissed off to "Hey, look at the bright side" mode. After shouting something down to Heather, she jumped off the cliff.

Lindsay reluctantly went next, and found herself falling to the lake, screaming. She was followed by my lov – uh, Gwen, who also wasn't very thrilled to be falling (okay, she was "thrilled", but not the good kind where you're actually enjoying yourself).

I volunteered to go next, partially because I wanted to make sure Gwen was okay. Otherwise, I probably would've waited until the end to jump.

And yes, like I said earlier, I wet my trunks on the way down, but no one knew about that, at least not until now.

After I hit the water, I watched from below as Izzy jumped off the cliff. She looked more like she was sky-diving than cliff-diving. She was also laughing like an asylum escapee. Luckily, she didn't land on me.

The cook from earlier came around with a boat to pick us up. It _apparently_ only carried three people, as Heather, Lindsay, and Izzy, for some reason, were the only ones picked up. No big deal. I got to hang out with two lovely ladies for a little bit.

"Hey," I greeted the two in the water nearby me.

Leshawna was the only one to reply with a "hey" of her own. I patiently waited for Gwen to say a greeting, but she didn't. I assumed it was because she didn't hear me, so I swam a meter or two closer to her. "Hey," I greeted again.

She still didn't respond. I got the feeling she was ignoring me for some reason.

Leshawna jabbed Gwen in the arm with her elbow. Groaning, the goth angel turned toward me. "Hey," she finally greeted, though it didn't sound like much of a greeting – more like a "leave me the hell alone." I thought nothing of it at first, though.

The boat appeared again, and Gwen rolled her eyes. "Finally! You left us here on purpose, didn't you?"

The cook laughed. "Now, why would I be so heartless?"

Neither of us answered that question. We knew better.

Leshawna got on the boat first. "C'mon, white boy. Get your butt up here," she said as she held out a hand to help pull me out of the water. I gladly accepted it.

After I got in the boat, Leshawna gestured toward the side with her head. After about a second and a half I finally understood. I went over to the side and held out an arm. "Hey, Gwen. C'mon."

The goth angel rolled her eyes. "How original, Casanova. I can get on the boat myself."

I frowned for a split second, but then smiled again as I continued to hold my arm out.

Gwen groaned and gave in. "Fine," she mumbled as she let me help her into the boat. Now, I wasn't expecting a 'thanks' or anything from her, but she didn't even look at me after we were all in the boat.

Then I realized something. "Hey, there's three of us, dude. Why are we still out here?"

The cook looked back at us and grinned evilly. "Do you _really_ think this boat can only hold three passengers?"

Gwen glared daggers at the large man. "I. Hate. You."

"The feeling's mutual," the cook said, still grinning. It was then that I noticed he had a gap in his teeth too. Knowing how much Gwen hated the guy right now, I closed my mouth tight.

Justin was next to jump off the cliff. Unlike the rest of us who jumped, he did NOT land in the safe zone.

Gwen, Leshawna, and I called out to the "hunk" (everyone else's words, by the way). I was sixteen, easily terrified, hypoglycemic, and a bed-wetter – I was the last person that wanted to see someone get eaten by sharks.

But then I saw a strange sight. The sharks weren't attacking – they were _helping_ him to shore! As if they were hypnotized into doing so! "You're kidding…" I mumbled, though thankful that the guy was alright. But still, this was obviously not helping my self-esteem.

Next up was Beth, or so we thought. It was a good thing Leshawna threw Heather off the cliff, or we would've been screwed. "I'm thorry!" she called, disappearing from the cliff edge.

Leshawna started bawking like a chicken, and I joined in. I don't know what it was about jumping off a cliff and standing near Gwen and Leshawna in bathing suits (while soaking wet, I might add), but the resulting adrenaline caused my confidence levels to raise into "cocky territory." …Pardon the pun – y'know, chickens… cocky… yeah…

After our bawking ceased, we turned to Gwen, who wasn't quite thrilled with our rude verbal gesture. Our smiles quickly disappeared, especially mine.

I must've looked guilty 'cause after Gwen looked away from us Leshawna patted my shoulder. "Don't feel bad. We're just havin' some fun is all." I nodded, though still unsure.

Noah jumped next, though we would later find out that the cameras missed it (mainly because they were recording the bawking Leshawna and I made – which made me feel even guiltier once it aired – and some remarks made by Heather and Lindsay).

The cook started moving the boat toward the shore. "Screw it. I'll fish 'im out later," he mumbled. "Just wanna get rid of you three maggots."

Leshawna had to hold Gwen back. I would've helped, but I was afraid she'd punch me in the face if I did.

Finally on the shore, we looked at the cliff just in time to see Trent jump off. I heard a sigh of relief to my right once he landed in the target, and I turned to find it came from Gwen. Once again, it was something I didn't think much of that I probably should have.

Owen was the last one to go. We (the Screaming Gophers) cheered on the near-300-pound sack of joy as he stood at the edge of the cliff.

But suddenly, he walked away.

I looked at the others on my team with concern, while the Killer Bass sighed breaths of relief.

Then he came running back.

We watched as, in what felt like slow motion, the big guy fell toward the lake.

"OHHHHH, CRAAAAA-AAAAAA-AAAAAP!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

The freakishly humongous splash that resulted when he hit the water was the last thing I saw before blacking out.

Or, at least I thought I blacked out at first. Truth be told, my head was stuck in the sand.

Luckily, I had a small air pocket to keep me alive, and I was quite good at holding my breath. It was a good five minutes before I was pulled out.

"You okay, dude?" Owen asked as I coughed up sand.

"I will be. Thanks, dude," I said, smiling, though still coughing.

"We're ready to carry the boxes to the cabin," he said. "Chris advises that you should change back to your normal clothes, though. I have to too yet."

I nodded and looked down, suddenly becoming blinded. "Uh…Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"…Where are your trunks?"

-X-

After a few minutes of mental therapy via Noah, I was able to help my team pull the carts to the cabins. I looked back at the Killer Bass, who had to carry the carts without any help. At first, I felt bad, but then I shook it off, realizing that it was better them than me.

We were the first to reach the campgrounds, as exclaimed by Beth.

"That was pretty easy," Owen said, walking up to me.

I nodded, smiling. "I'm pleasantly surprised."

-X-

Of course, Chris would end up ruining our fun. We had to open the crates with our teeth. Wow, fun. But even after it all, we still were ahead of the Bass, and that's the main thing right now.

"Hey, check it out! I got wood!" I heard Owen say.

Trent followed up with, "I've got some tools here, and what looks like a pool-liner."

Okay, I don't know if it's my one-track mind, but… none of that sounded right to me…

It was then that I noticed Heather was apologizing to Leshawna. I smiled, thankful that they were able to resolve their earlier argument… or so I thought…

It was about ten minutes later that the Killer Bass finally made it to the campgrounds.

"Hey, what's up, guys?" I heard Trent say.

Leshawna, who, for some reason, was inside one of the boxes, popped her head out of it. "Hey, aren't you missing a couple of white girls?"

I looked around after she said that. She was right – Katie and Sadie were nowhere to be found.

"They're… getting a drink," Courtney said. I saw Harold whisper something to Ezekiel, who chuckled. I assumed he was telling him a joke. I turned back to Courtney and noticed the swelling in her eye. How the heck did I not catch it before? Is her prissy voice that distracting?

Before I could say anything, Leshawna beat me to it. "Ooh! What happened to your eye, girl?"

"Nothing!" she said defensively. "Just an allergy."

"Think it's getting worse," Ezekiel added. I watched as Courtney quickly moved up to him and whispered something to him. I didn't quite catch what she said, but I figured she was just embarrassed about her swollen eye.

The hot tub building continued, and I had a feeling our team was going to win. Why? Because somehow we were all able to set aside our differences and build the hot tub exactly as it was supposed to be, while the Bass team… well… had no such luck. They even had to use duct tape to hold it together.

Eventually, it was time for Chris to judge the hot tubs. Chris walked over to ours. After careful examination, he grinned at us. "This… is an awesome hot tub!"

We cheered, our victory assured. The host walked over to the other team. After more careful examination, he poked the messy looking tub, which squirted water back in his face. Afterwards, the entire tub collapsed.

Though having been squirted in the face with water, Chris still kept his award-winning smile as he stood between the two teams. "Well, I think we have a winner here." I know this sounds mean, but c'mon – _everyone_ had to be thinking 'Ya think?' "The Screaming Gophers!"

Amidst our cheering, Chris continued. "Gophers! You are safe from elimination, and… you get to rock this awesome hot tub for the rest of the summer!" He turned to the camera and pointed to it. "BONUS!"

Then he turned to our opponents. "Killer Bass, what can I say? Sucks to be you right now. I'll see your sorry butts at the bonfire tonight."

I overheard Lindsay shouting with joy. "We won! We get to stay here for another three days!" She cheered, along with Heather and Beth.

"Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"

I was dumb enough to look, and I quickly turned away. Owen was doing his… "naked dance."

But that didn't mean I didn't stop listening to his song.

"We get to stay-ay! We get to stay-ay! We are so awesome! We won the contest!"

I couldn't help but chuckle.

-X-

We were now at the lodge, eating our last meal as a full group of twenty-two campers… and possibly our last meal period, if we had to keep eating this crap.

After curiously poking his meal with his fork, Noah turned to me. "So, Cody, why'd you sign up to be on the show?"

I looked up from my… "food" and looked at the others sitting around me. Noah and Owen were the only ones that looked like they were interested in my answer. Lindsay was looking at the unicorn stickers – or whatever – she put on her fingernails. I wasn't sure about Leshawna – she was waiting for my answer, too, but she didn't seem too interested in it. And Gwen… well, she was too busy staring at her food. Or, at least that's what I was hoping she was doing. I didn't want to think that she was ignoring me.

I wasn't too fond of my actual answer, but I didn't have a good lie to replace it either, so I admitted my reasons. "To hang out with the cool kids."

Noah rolled his eyes. "Congratulations. You're hanging out with me," he said sarcastically. "Maybe someday you'll get to hang out with Carrot Top and Cojo."

I gave him a stern look. "Hey, I think you're cool."

"C-R-A-P, that is what that sounds to me," he replied in a fake monotone-cheerleader-like cheer.

After realizing how stubborn Noah was, I decided to drop it. I looked over at Gwen, who was still staring at her food in disgust.

Then, I looked past her, and noticed that all eyes on the Killer Bass table were on the CIT, Courtney. I heard Bridgette ask Courtney who she would vote off, and Courtney pointed to Tyler.

"NO-OOOOO!!"

If I ever need a hearing aid when I'm sixty, I'm blaming it on this.

Lindsay, her arms in the air, gave a nervous smile as everyone in the lodge was now staring at her. "I mean, no… salt. There's no salt on the table. Bummer…"

Hey, say what you want about Lindsay's intelligence – she came up with that cover-up quite fast.

Suddenly, Duncan got up and left, Courtney calling to him. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but using logic I deduced that all this had to do with the possibility that she was going to be voted off.

Noah got up. "I'm done. I'm not eating anymore." He took his tray and headed for the trash can. I followed, taking my tray as well.

And that's when it happened…

"I just don't get why we lost, eh. They're the ones that have six girls."

Noah and I stopped, just as all time seemed to stop at that moment.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bridgette inquired angrily.

"Yeah, Home School. Enlighten us," Eva said, even more angrily.

"Well, guys are much stronger and better at sports than girls are." Ezekiel had continued to dig the hole deeper and deeper. Noah and I both backed away slowly, not wanting to be anywhere near this time bomb when it detonates. "My dad told me to look out for the girls here, eh, and help them in case they can't keep up."

You know when you dig the hole you're in so deep there's no way to climb out of it? He just reached that point.

Eva grabbed Ezekiel by the neck and lifted him up, throttling him. "Still think we need your help keeping up?"

"Uh… not really."

Geoff finally stepped in. "Okay, guys… let's give him a break." Around this time, Eva dropped the prairie boy hard on the floor. "I mean, at least he doesn't think guys are smarter than girls."

"…But, they are…"

-X-

Well, I think you all know what happened next.

At the time, I had no idea who was going to leave, to be honest. I would only find out the next morning when I saw that Courtney was still on. But for the time being, it was night time, we were partying, and Chris was nice enough to give us all juice boxes to celebrate our first victory. Standing in the middle of the hot tub, I raised my juice box into the air. "To the Screaming Gophers!" I toasted.

Everyone else in the hot tub – Trent, Lindsay, Heather, and Justin – repeated the toast and cheered. In front of the tub, Leshawna, Noah, and Owen started dancing and chanting "Go Gophers, Go Gophers…" I watched and smiled, thankful that Owen was dressed this time.

After a few seconds, I turned to the girl leaning against the hot tub, juice box in hand.

Gwen.

I caught her glance back toward the tub and quickly turn away. This perked my curiosity. Maybe she really did like me back, but she was just shy.

Little did I know she was really glancing at someone else in the hot tub…


	5. Sweet Dreams

Okay, I've come up with an excuse as to why Cody can remember dialogue in full detail: narrative flashback. 'Tis a crappy excuse, but at least it makes sense that way. Plus, I wouldn't doubt if Cody had seen reruns or cuts of the show (provided, of course, that in their world they show reruns of reality TV).

**So, there's my excuse. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. And now, here's Cody's story, which he's sticking to.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Four: Sweet Dreams**_

All week, she was all I could think about. Her lovely voice, her pretty eyes, every miniscule detail was perfect. I couldn't deny it anymore. She wasn't just amazing… she was everything…

Every night, she would invade my dreams. We would be sitting on the stumps at the campfire ceremony. Chris would call off our names and toss us a marshmallow. Then, all that would be left are Gwen and myself. And every time I had that dream, I knew who was going to get the shaft, because I knew they wouldn't vote her off over me.

Sure enough, Gwen's name would always get called, and I would stand up and admit defeat. And after walking to the end of the Dock of Shame, I would turn around and address her, and ask for one last parting gift – a small peck on the lips. Nothing much, just a soft, light kiss.

I had that dream again the night before.

"Gwen… there's something I've wanted to tell you for some time now…"

_She stepped closer to me. We were standing face to face, now._

"_I… I… love…" I said softly as our lips slowly came closer and closer…_

Then, an air horn blew, waking me up.

Damn.

As you could probably already tell, I wasn't very happy to be woken up from my dream, but I wasn't expecting anyone in the cabin to really notice. Maybe I shouldn't smile so much.

"Someone looks a little cranky this morning," Noah said smugly as I was putting on my striped shirt. "Sleep well?"

"Haven't had my coffee yet," I replied back, just as smugly. That shut him up.

-X-

We were all lined up in front of the cabins. From the looks of things, most of us weren't really early risers. I wasn't one, either.

I heard something faint to my right: Eva's MP3 player.

Out of sheer boredom (or possibly a brief moment of sheer stupidity) I found myself slowly reaching for the MP3 player… and quickly pulling my arms away, as Eva attempted to bite my hands off.

She growled. I shuddered. But I gave her a smile in the hope that it would at least put her in a well enough mood to not piledrive me into the ground.

"Morning!" Chris greeted. "Hope you slept well."

Yeah… I _was_… Thanks a ton, host man.

At first, I thought that was the worst thing he could do to me today.

Then he mentioned the 20K run.

Damn. Again.

Eva looked like she was about to pulverize the host, but the Killer Bass held her back. I guess running and suffering a 20K race versus a murder charge is a lesser of two evils.

The race? Eh… quite uneventful… and boring. For the most part, it was me running, slowing, stopping, breathing heavily, walking, running, slowing, stopping, breathing heavily, walking, over and over until somehow managing to survive and make it back to the lodge. I had no one to talk to at all during the run, as everyone else was too focused on either getting the race over with or talking to someone who _wasn't _me.

Though tired as hell, I managed to find enough strength to reach the far corner of the lodge, staying as far away from Duncan as possible (no offense, but that guy gives me the willies sometimes – he's a damn good actor, though, I'll give him that. But that's another story for another time). I also was in a perfect position to keep an eye on Gwen, who was practically sprawled out on the floor, exhausted. As usual, the gentleman in me was concerned, while the player in me was sneaking glances every so often. But after a few minutes, I was too bored and tired to even do that as I rested my face on my hand, awaiting the runners that still needed to show up.

I was nearly falling asleep before the slamming door woke me right up. "Clear a table! Stat!"

It was Owen, and he was carrying a passed out Noah over his shoulder. Leshawna entered soon after.

Most of us at the far table got out of the way as Owen rested Noah on top of it and started to perform CPR.

Finally, Harold appeared at the door, twitching and breathing quite violently. "I think I'm having heart palpitations!" Once again, I couldn't help but feel for the guy, despite Courtney's obvious disapproval of Harold costing them the victory.

"Hey, wait a minute…" God, I love Gwen's voice. "If they lost, that means we won the challenge!"

Once again, we, the Screaming Gophers, nearly broke the sound barrier with our cheers. Even Noah, who somehow had revived at this very moment, raised his arms in victory.

"Whoa, there!" Chris spoke up. "Hold your horses, guys."

…Uh-oh…

"That wasn't the challenge."

"…What did he just say?" Gwen asked, and I don't think anyone would've wanted to answer her. I know I sure as hell didn't.

Chris walked up to a large purple curtain and pulled it open. "Who's hungry?"

Words could not describe our joy. God had answered all our prayers.

Real food.

Real _edible_ food.

-X-

Okay, I was convinced at this point. Chris truly is an evil frickin' genius.

Some of us were so full, we could barely even move. But… my God… the food was absolutely astonishing. Delicious did not come close to how much I loved what I ate.

Brown slop would make you think the same thing too.

So, why am I calling Chris an evil genius if he gave us all this food? …Well…

"Okay, campers! Time for part two of your challenge!" Chris exclaimed in his megaphone as he stood on top of the buffet table. I picked at my ears, making sure there weren't anything in them that could've possibly distorted my hearing. How could there be more to this challenge? There was no way we could do any more stunts after this.

That's when Chris announced the Awake-a-thon. Right away, my face fell. It obviously involved sleep, and because of the fact that everyone in the room looked positively tired… I assumed that _wasn't_ the objective.

I hate being right…

-X-

It was awful. Nothing happened at all in the first three hours. Sure, the campers were talking amongst themselves, trying to use small talk to keep awake, but small talk can only do so much. I just sat there on the stump, getting quick, short, two-to-three second blinks every now and then to keep my eyes from drying up… but it was still an awful experience – and a downright boring one.

Luckily, I had some company: Beth and Noah. Unfortunately, though, they were just as bored as I was, and neither of them had enough interesting things to say. Not that I helped with the conversation all that much either, but still…

Now that I've mentioned her – and also since nothing much would happen to me for at least… I don't know… another twenty hours or so – I may as well tell you what I thought about Beth at the time. Really, I would talk to anyone who was willing to talk to me, and she was (and still is) a nice person to talk to, even if she's a little hard to understand. I just wish she had more interesting stuff to talk about, though, 'cause when you're trying not to fall asleep, the last story you want to hear is a story about giving a pig a bath.

Six hours in, still boring as hell. I was beginning to wonder how long this challenge was going to take before all the campers started caving in to the sandman.

Nine hours… what the hell? Someone fall asleep PLEASE! Luckily, Noah had with him a deck of cards, which kept me sane. We played War, knowing that it was one of the longest games you could possibly play with a deck of fifty-two. Unfortunately for us, the game also got old real fast, and we ended up doing nothing yet again.

Twelve hours, Owen fell. Finally! Okay, so maybe I shouldn't be happy that someone from my own team was the first to fall, but I didn't care. One less person meant I only had to worry about nineteen more.

I'm probably boring the crap out of you guys right now. Sorry, I'll skip ahead a little bit.

It was about twenty-three and a half hours in when Noah fell asleep. That was a shame – I was willing to play War again (anything to keep me awake) and I was too tired to ask if anyone else had a deck of cards.

I looked over at the Killer Bass. Courtney had been walking in place for God knows how long. Tyler screamed bloody murder – _that_ I assumed was a hallucination brought on by lack of sleep.

Suddenly, Chris appeared with Chef Hatchet (I learned the cook's name over the past week), who was wearing a sheep costume and holding a harp. "Congratulations, campers! You've made it to the twenty-four hour mark! Time to take things up a notch." He pulled at a tarp, revealing a pile of books. "Fairy tales!"

Uh-oh…

Chef strummed the harp, and Chris began to read the boring book of boring tales of boring… well, you get the idea. I couldn't take much more of it – I was so tired… I needed to sleep…

Hey, where did this pillow come from?

…Eh, not complaining.

Mmm…

Surprisingly, for the first time all week, I dreamt of something else other than Gwen – and I can probably thank Chef's costume for that. I dreamt of sheep hopping over a harp. I began to count them. One… two… Chef… wait, what?

**PFFFFFT!**

What the…?

I woke up, and realized exactly what the "pillow" was: Owen's big, fat butt.

And he just farted in my face.

I nearly died.

-X-

After a good thirty seconds, my coughing ceased, but my eyes continued to water. But at least the rude awakening kept me in the game (Chris must've missed my dozing off).

Unfortunately, Chris and Chef had a few more tricks up their sleeves – one involving Chef the Sugar Plum Fairy (something I may need therapy for in the future) sprinkling what was probably supposed to be pixie dust or sandman sand over us. Whatever it was, it sure made me sleepy…

No! Must stay awake! Grr!

I heard a tree fall. Thank God! That kept me awake for a while.

-X-

The sun rose again. How I managed to stay awake this long, I will never know.

Noah, though now out of the competition, decided to stay with me to help me stay awake. After badgering him over him falling asleep the night before, he admitted that he didn't think the Awake-a-thon would last this long. Truth be told, I concurred. But hey, at least now we weren't so picky on how boring War was. It's better than doing absolutely nothing, I guess.

Around thirty-five hours or so, Noah fell asleep again. Thankfully, this time he lent me the cards, so I wasn't too bored out of my skull. A little Klondike Solitaire and Around the Clock every once in a while kept me going. I asked Gwen, Trent, and Beth if they wanted to play something, but Gwen and Trent were busy talking and Beth was hanging out with Lindsay, so I ended up by myself… again.

Courtney was still walking in place. Justin was still standing with his hands on his hips. Nothing much else to say here.

Forty hours in, Beth and Lindsay fell. Our team was dwindling fast, and I was concerned – I wasn't sure how long I was going to go on.

I overheard Gwen and Trent talking again, and I was thinking of once again asking them if they would join me in playing a card game, but I didn't want to interrupt their conversation. A gentleman as myself wouldn't do that, even back when I wasn't much of one.

And then… Owen stirred.

I grinned. "Hey, big guy, wanna play cards?"

He didn't say anything… but he did take off his clothes.

"Uh… no, Strip Poker was not what I had in mind, and besides… you don't even have a hand yet. …Hello?"

No response. "Is… Is he still asleep?" I asked myself.

Sure enough, the now nude Owen, letting out little snores every once in a while, was now walking like Frankenstein out of the bonfire area.

Once again, being right sucks sometimes.

After my brain slowly repressed the image scarred into it, I turned back to Gwen and Trent, who also must've seen what I had seen (well, at least I knew it wasn't a hallucination). After a few minutes, they continued to talk, and, the boredom taking a toll on me, I found myself slowly… but surely… drifting… asleep…

-X-

I woke up a good fifteen hours later. "Ugh!" I groaned. I let my team down…

I turned to find that Gwen and Trent were still awake, though both looking like wrecks (though Gwen's wrecked appearance still barely took anything away from her beauty). I knew they were still in the game, and I decided to cheer them on… through conversation.

"Hey, guys," I said. "Still awake?" I almost hit myself for asking that.

Gwen looked like she was almost about to hit me, too, but Trent chuckled lightly. "Yep. We're still in the running… or… whatever…" I could tell he was starting to lose it.

"Well, if you want, we could play cards," I said as I held Noah's deck in front of them.

"Nah, we're cool," Trent said with a smile. "The sunlight should help us a little with staying awake. Maybe later, 'kay?"

I shrugged. "Cool. That's fine with me. But we might not get to later; it's Noah's deck."

"Cody," Gwen sighed, "we're having a private…" she yawned, "…conversation. Please… just go away."

I frowned, but did what I was told. "Uh… Okay…"

-X-

Noah and I found an open area to play War, a few yards away from the others. Chris insisted that we, and everyone else for that matter, stay with the pack for a while so he could keep track of all of us, especially since Owen's disappearance (the man did not want any more potential lawsuits on his hands).

After a few hours, we stopped. It got boring… again. Man, how long was this challenge going to take?

Noah yawned. "I'm still tired from all this crap."

"Me, too," I yawned back.

We lie down and fell asleep.

-X-

For the first time in a good while now, I had that dream again. Finally! Gwen, babe, here I come!

But this one played out a little differently.

Instead of me kissing her, she kissed me first!

At first, I found this shocking, but hey… it's my dream, so what the hey?

And then… it started to get heavy.

Now, I don't have a problem with girls kissing my ear, but nibbling… eh… a little much. And a little painful.

Well, at least at first, anyway.

It was kinda kinky, too. She was now holding me from behind and whispering things in my ear while nibbling it. Honestly, I thought this was supposed to work the _other _way around – with me doing the nibbling and whatnot… but I wasn't complaining. I mean, this _is _Gwen we're talking about.

Then I felt something press up against my hip. Ooh… since when was Gwen packing? Maybe she was Lara Croft in disguise? …Nah, she's way better than Lara Croft. But I decided to joke about it anyway, putting on my best Ace Ventura impression as I said the following line from the movie: "Your gun is digging into my hip."

Now, I don't know _why_ I forgot exactly what the gun really was in that movie, but I really wish I hadn't forgotten.

Gwen paused for a moment, and gave me a concerned look. "…Maybe you should wake up…"

…Say wha?

-X-

I woke up with a daze, surprised that the kissing didn't stop. Wait… that was a dream, wasn't it?

I glanced over my shoulder… and screamed.

And so did Noah.

I got up and ran for a few meters before stopping and shuddering. "Man… I really need a cold shower right now…"

The Ace Ventura line popped back into my mind. _Your gun is digging into my hip._

Damn you, Jim Carrey. Damn you.

**-X-**

**WHOO! Long chapter! And when I should be doing college work. What's wrong with me?**

**And for the record, I have nothing against Jim Carrey. He is the epitome of awesomeness… at least in comedy movies. In dramas… eh… not so much.**


	6. An Adorkable Bond

**Part of the title of this chapter comes from a few of my forum buddies' description of Noah and Cody's relationship (friendship or… "otherwise"…).**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Five: An A-dork-able Bond**_

So, there I was, in the communal bathrooms. I groaned – knowing my luck, that kiss was going to be televised (and it was, too. Great…)

A few minutes into my cold shower, I heard the door open. "Please don't let it be him, please don't let it be him…" I said over and over; I didn't want to confront Noah so soon after the fact.

It was him.

Great… Just peachy…

"Look, Cody…" he started.

"I know. You were sleeping. It's cool," I said, trying desperately to get it past us. "What happened happened. And it's not like it meant anything."

"Yeah, but still… It's quite awkward."

"Well of course it is, but what are you gonna do? What's done is done."

Noah started to lighten up a little bit after that, which made me feel a little more comfortable (well, as comfortable as you can be when you're showering near a guy that was just kissing your ear in your sleep seven minutes ago) "Yeah… Well, mind if I turn up the heat?"

"Please tell me you're talking about the water…"

We both shared a laugh.

-X-

Though that awkward feeling still stayed for quite some time, it was good to have my friendship (or maybe simply strong acquaintanceship) with Noah restored. After our conversation in the washrooms, everyone seemed to start pouring into the small building, which told me that the Awake-a-thon was either over or starting to end.

I decided to ask Geoff. "Hey, did someone win yet?"

He shook his head. "Nope. But there's, like, only five left."

"Five left, huh?" I began wondering to myself if Gwen and Trent were two of the five.

"Hey," Noah spoke up. "Wanna go to the cabin and play War?"

What can I say? We gained a whole new respect for the game.

-X-

I slapped down an Ace. He slapped down a Jack. "Ha! In your face, Noah!"

"Yeah, keep laughing, hot shot," he said as I collected the pair of cards. I drew another card and slapped it down – a ten. He slapped down a three and chuckled. "That's going to suck next round, my friend."

"Not if you draw a two," I said with a positive attitude.

Suddenly, we heard commotion outside of the cabin.

"What the…?" Noah began as he got up and looked out the window.

"What, can't take the heat?" I joked, smirking at him.

"Eva's trashing the cabin."

My eyes widened. "Wha?" Then I got up. "This I gotta see!" I looked out the window as well. "Holy crap! She's tossing crap everywhere!"

"Yeah… Well, let's get back to our game, shall we?" he said, sitting back down on the floor.

I was about to protest, thinking we should probably do something, but I stopped myself – there was no way I wanted to get involved with that. "Alright. But you're going down, little man."

"You should talk, Shorty."

-X-

Despite my constant taunting, Noah had beaten me. Okay, so we didn't exactly finish the game, but when you only have four cards left, and none of them are face cards, you're pretty much done anyway.

We went straight to the lodge after that. I frowned as I noticed that Gwen wasn't there. Once again, my usually smiling face now frowning caught Noah's attention.

"Not looking forward to dinner either? Me neither," he said with a smirk.

I sighed. "No… it's not that…"

His smirk flipped over into a frown. "You okay, Cody? You were just fine, like, three minutes ago."

I didn't answer – I couldn't. I didn't have one, other than Gwen not being here. I didn't want to say that, though.

Noah had a sigh of his own. "Look, about earlier…" He obviously thought I was thinking about what happened earlier.

"Hey, we've already been over that, remember?" I said, though kinda fast, I'll admit.

"Then what's wrong?"

I sighed again. I figured the truth was much better than having him think I was feeling insecure about earlier. "…It's Gwen…"

There was a long pause, but I got the feeling he understood. After about half a minute, I continued. "I just… I think she might like me, but I still… I still don't know how to ask her yet. I mean, what am I supposed to do? Walk up to her and say, 'Hey, do you like me'?"

There was another long pause, but Noah was the one to break it this time. "Well, do what you gotta do, Cody. If you want to talk to her about it, I say do it."

I began to think about it. Gwen's amazing, we've already been over that. But what did I really know about her? Not much. I mean, I may have caught a word or two from her earlier conversations with Trent, but for the most part I didn't know much about the angelic goth I had been recently attracted to. And what if I was wrong – what if she didn't like me back? What if she didn't like me… at all? What if she hated me? Would she punch me in the face if I asked her if she liked me? I didn't know, but those worse-case scenarios were eating away at me. But if she did like me… what if I lose her to someone else because I didn't ask? Grr! This was all very frustrating!

"I… I'll think about it…" I suddenly blurted out, causing Noah to raise an eyebrow. It was about three minutes since he even spoke a word, so by that time he probably didn't even know what I was talking about.

-X-

That night, I had a dream about Gwen again.

And this time – thank God – she didn't nibble my ear.

-X-

The next morning, I got out of bed in a much cheerier mood. I walked toward the washrooms, thinking that this day was going to be a great day! Well, greater than the last few days, anyway.

And then I opened the door.

"Owen?!"

I watched in shock as the big, unfortunately still naked guy shot up from the floor. "Wha? Who's there?"

"Dude, where the hell have you been the last few days?" I asked.

"…Where did I go?" was his reply.

I really should've known better.

-X-

A now fully dressed Owen and I walked into the lodge. "Finally!" Owen shouted. "I haven't eaten anything in days!"

I gave him a surprised look. "Dude… you were sleeping all that time?"

"…Maybe…"

After getting my bowl of what appeared to be… something inedible, I sat down at the Gophers' table, across from Noah. "Hey, dude. Sleep well?"

He rolled his eyes. "Better than yesterday afternoon."

I laughed. "I don't think the sleeping was the worst part." Suddenly, I thought of something – something I couldn't believe I hadn't asked anyone yet. "Hey, do you know who won the Awake-a-thon?"

"Didn't you hear, man?" said Trent, who was just sitting down. "Gwen won!"

My eyes lit up. "Really? Awesome!"

Noah smirked at me. "Yeah. She sure is awesome, isn't she?" As I felt my face getting slightly hotter, his smirk continued to grow.

"Duncan!" I heard. I turned to see Chris standing over the Killer Bass table. "You look like crap, dude."

"Stuff it," Duncan groaned as he lay his head back down on the table. Courtney then filled Chris in on Harold's snoring keeping Duncan awake all night.

"Wow-how-how!" Chris laughed. "Four nights with no sleep? How much are you hurting, dude?"

"You wanna find out?" he shot back. The Killer Bass took defensive measures.

"No, no, it's cool," Chris said quite quickly, before squeaking out another "It's cool!" I grinned. That's putting him in his place!

The door opened, and I quickly turned to it, thinking it was Gwen. It wasn't, but that doesn't mean I could look away. Everyone watched with large, wide-open grins as Harold entered with a mustache drawn on his face.

We Gophers tried to hold in our chuckles, but failed. The Bass, on the other hand, erupted with laughter. Poor Harold. Ah, well, at least he didn't seem bothered by it.

"Hey, everyone!" Once again, my attention was grabbed by Chris. "It's Gwen!"

Quickly, my eyes darted to the figure slowly entering the cabin. Even looking tired as hell and being barely able to get to her seat, to me her awesome levels were still well over 9000.

She took a seat between Lindsay and Justin. "I'm so tired… I can't feel my face."

I frowned. If it wasn't for the fact that she had practically fallen asleep the second her head hit the table, I would've probably attempted to start a conversation with her.

"Well," Noah whispered, leaning forward to make sure that only I heard him, "looks like you're going to have to wait 'til later to ask her, huh?"

"Uh… yeah," I said, lightly blushing. "Looks like it."

Unfortunately for the two of us, Izzy, who was sitting to my right, overheard me talking. She also noticed my blush, and grinned. "Whatcha talkin' about?"

"Uh… nothing?" I said, a little weirded out by her.

She put her hands up defensively. "Hey, at least I wasn't the one…" she turned to make sure no one was paying attention to what she was about to say, and whispered the rest, "who was getting spooned by Noah yesterday."

I coughed. "Wha? You…?"

"Saw it? Yep! And I must say, it's unhealthy to keep these things all bottled up, Cody. If you have feelings for No –"

"Izzy, shut up," Noah interrupted.

"Alright," she caved in. "Fine. But just remember, I'm only silencing myself. You cannot silence the Izzy. Remember that…"

"Uh… okay, then…" You could only imagine how freaked out we were right now.

"Hey, Fish Heads!" Heather. I turned, wondering what she wanted with the Bass. Everyone else seemed interested too. "Way to kick out your strongest player. Why don't you just give up now?"

Courtney took a spoonful of what one could only assume to be oatmeal and flung it at Heather, and I watched as Heather side-stepped it, and as it hit a now semi-awake Gwen in the face with a splat.

"Missed me!" Heather said, sing-song-like. I glared at her before turning to Gwen. A part of me wanted to help Gwen clean up, but a part of me also knew she was probably quite mad after getting hit in the face with oatmeal.

"Listen up!" Chris got our attention again. "Your next challenge begins in ten minutes. And be prepared to bring it!"

What? But we just had a challenge!

…But then again, it _did_ last almost four days…

But still… doesn't Chris know how tired we all are?

…Don't answer that. I think I already know the answer.


	7. Dodge Red Spheres

**Sorry, but a good 95 percent of this chapter will probably be episode-centric. I'll try to keep it from being boring, though.**

**WARNING: The title of this chapter is a crappy Sonic joke. Proceed with caution.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Six: Dodge the Red Spheres**_

"What the hell?"

"I could've sworn this wasn't here yesterday…"

"I knoooow, riiiiiight? …What is it?"

"Hell, probably."

"No, it's the arena where your next challenge is going to take place." This last line was from Chris, who still had his seemingly ever-present smirk on his face.

"So, our challenge takes place in hell?"

-X-

We entered the arena (could we even call it an arena?) and stood in front of Chris, who was standing next to Chef, who was wearing a referee uniform. I could already tell that this wasn't going to be an Academic Bowl.

Duncan was the last to enter, the sleepless nights obviously taking its toll on him. "Wake me up," he threatened, "and it'll be the last thing you do."

If there were any other reason why I was glad to be a Gopher (other than the fact that my best friends here, and the girl of my dreams, are all on my team), it was because of Duncan. He was threatening _his_ own team!

Chef blew his whistle, which caught our attention.

Chris began. "Today's challenge is the classic game of Dodgeball. The first rule of Dodgeball is –"

"Do not talk about Dodgeball?" Noah quirked, earning a few chuckles.

"As I was saying…" Chris continued. He began to discuss the rules of the game, annoying several campers (especially Courtney) in the process.

When he was done explaining the game, Lindsay spoke up. "So, what do I do again when the ball comes at me?"

At this time, Geoff threw the ball Chris instructed him to throw, and Chris deflected it back at Lindsay, who got knocked down. OUCH!

"You were supposed to dodge!"

Lindsay slowly got to her feet, a noticeable bruise on her otherwise flawless face.

Chris then informed us that we needed to have at least person sit out every game, due to the fact that we now outnumbered the Bass team by two. Noah volunteered to sit out.

The first round was about to start. Heather, Lindsay (who was only out because Heather was), Leshawna, Owen, and I took the floor first. Honestly, the only reason why I decided to be out first was because I wanted to impress Gwen, but I must not have thought of how difficult it would be to impress someone who's constantly falling asleep on the bleachers.

"Bring it on, Fishies!" Heather taunted the other team. "Otherwise, winning three in a row just won't be as satisfying."

This obviously did not bode well for our opponents, especially Tyler. "Oh! You're going down! We're gonna bring the dinner to the table, and then we're gonna eat it!"

…What the heck?

"Both teams ready?" Chris asked, but before we could reply, he continued. "Best of five games wins. Now, let's dodge some ball!"

Alright! Here we go! I picked up a ball and stared at Tyler. …Why not? I threw the ball at him… and missed.

Tyler's expression turned sour as he held up a ball. His glare pierced into my soul as he wound up his throw by spinning in circles.

…I'm dead…

Luckily for me, he let go of the ball too early, and the ball went sailing toward the Bass' bleachers, knocking Sadie down.

Phew!

As I regained my composure, Owen charged and took out Tyler, earning cheers from our team. Knowing he had my back, I gave him a high-five.

Harold walked up to the middle line, standing face to face with Leshawna. "Time to unleash my wicked skills."

"Yeah?" Leshawna challenged. "Then bring it, String Bean! Let's see what you got!"

We watched as Harold did some poses, which I assume were supposed to be intimidating, and slammed the ball at the floor. It bounced a few times and rolled slowly toward Leshawna, who picked it up.

Owen and I shared a smirk as Harold started running, squealing, in the opposite direction, before getting knocked down by a hard throw by Leshawna. He skidded on the floor and hit the wall with a hard CRUNCH!

I cringed. This guy had the worst possible luck. Just like me.

"And that's how _we _roll!" Leshawna shouted as our team cheered once again. Owen gave her a high-five, and I gave her a congratulatory thumbs up.

Our celebration was short lived, however, as Lindsay got hit in the face, again, by a dodgeball. Owen, Leshawna, and I cringed as she went down, and I made my opinion known, "That… had to hurt…"

-X-

The round was nearly over. All Leshawna and I had to do was take out DJ and Katie.

Concerned for her, I looked over to Gwen, who had been brought out earlier in the round. She still looked sore and sleepy. And pretty…

Leshawna snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Focus, boy!"

"Yes, ma'am!" I quickly said as if I was in boot camp, and faced the other team.

She rolled her eyes and turned to our opponents just in time to find two dodgeballs heading straight for her. Quickly thinking, she deflected the first ball, but the second hit her in the gut.

Chef's telltale whistle sounded, and I stared at the other team with a worried look in my eyes. Two-on-one were sucky odds.

"Easy out, guys," Courtney said from the sidelines. "Easy out."

I growled inwardly. What was her deal? First she dissed our team during the cliff-diving competition – and lost, I might add – and now she was dissing me, saying I'll be easy to beat.

Well, just like that first challenge, Courtney's condescending remarks did something to me, and my confidence rose once again. Using mathematics and "cartoon physics" – I won't bore you with the details – I managed to put a new "spin" on the game, pardon the pun. After putting a little spin on the ball, I lined it up and threw it at DJ. It missed, but it came back like a boomerang and hit him from behind.

The Bass were shocked, especially Courtney. Good. I'm finally putting her in her place for underestimating me and my team!

After Katie threw a ball of her own, I grabbed another. My grin became quite sinister and twisted as I thought of how this was going to give Courtney another low blow. As I rubbed the ball across my shirt, charging it with static electricity, I was actually starting to wish that it was Courtney on the court instead of Katie. Unfortunately for the thin twin, she was to be the victim.

I lined it up and threw the ball at Katie. As I expected, it honed in on Katie's clothes, and, after chasing her around the arena, finally caught up with her when she hit the wall.

I hopped up and down in victory as my teammates cheered back. But even if they didn't cheer, I would've been satisfied: the look on Courtney's face said it all – she got what was coming to her.

Owen gave me a high-five after I reached the bleachers. "Nice job, Codester!"

"Thanks, big guy!" I replied. I made my way through the bleachers to a spot behind Noah. "Hey, dude. Did you see that?"

He looked up from his book. "Huh? Oh… Yeah… Good job, Cody."

"Thanks!" I said, not really thinking about how uninterested he sounded.

Heather walked up to us. "Alright, Noah. You're up."

Noah gave her a smirk. "You know, you guys did such an awesome job on the last game that I don't want to mess up your mojo."

Heather didn't look too happy, but she reluctantly agreed. "…Fine. Let's go, guys."

After she walked away, I turned to Noah. "You sure, dude?"

"Yeah, I'm quite positive, Cody," he said, not looking up from his book.

"It's a lot of fu-uuun…"

"I'm sure it i-iiiiis…"

I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "So, whatcha reading?"

He answered my question, but I couldn't hear it because Chef blew the whistle for round two when he said it. I didn't bother asking again, as I figured asking him the same question more than once was probably one of his biggest peeves.

"Is… Is it any good?"

Noah turned to me and gave me a death glare. "Cody… can't you see I'm reading? Please stop bothering me."

I glared back. What was _his_ problem? "Geez, Noah! What's with you, today?"

He sighed, and looked up from his book, as if thinking of how to answer my question, but before he could, we had been… interrupted – Tyler accidentally threw a dodgeball at our set of bleachers. Luckily, we all had managed to jump to safety, even the practically sleeping Gwen.

We eventually all regrouped on the bleachers. Unfortunately, the interruption had left Noah to be quite irritable, and he wasn't willing to answer anymore of my questions.

Now, don't get me wrong – it's not like I didn't know how cynical or private Noah was; he was always very open about his "matter-of-fact" opinion, and he didn't really care whose feelings he hurt when he spoke. Some people on the team truly thought he was a real jerk, and I could see why.

But he had never been a jerk to _me _before.

"GREAT GATSBY, THAT IS IT!" we suddenly heard from the court. I watched as Owen basically went psycho and grabbed every ball he could get his hands on, and took out the Bass team.

Once again, things were looking up for us Gophers, and we cheered on the big guy, who chuckled modestly. "I don't know what got into me."

Heather snarled, making her thoughts known. "I'm glad _someone_ is trying today."

We all turned to Noah, who was just looking up from his book. "Oh, sorry. Woo-hoo!" he said, not very enthusiastically. "Way to throw those murder balls. Go team, go." Then he went back to reading.

I sighed. I wasn't very happy with how he was acting right now. Even if he wasn't very good at sports, he still could've at least gone out on the court _once_. I mean, I'm not very athletic either, but I went out there that first time… and I won the round!

After a few minutes, I finally spoke up. "Noah, I think you should at least be in this round. I mean, even if you get hit with a ball right away, at least you would be doing something for the team."

"I _am_ doing something for the team: moral support," he responded.

I shook my head. I should've known – Noah's stubborn, so why would I be able to get him to join the competition?

I turned to the court again. Our team was ready to go, but the Bass were still on the sidelines. What gives? I turned to the Bass side, seeing the team about to poke Duncan with a big stick. It took a few seconds to understand, but I did. They were trying to wake him up.

He was their shoe-in.

-X-

Remember how I said I hate being right at times. You should – I believe I said it at least twice by now…

The next two rounds didn't go very smoothly for our team. Duncan's Dodgeball strategy had allowed the Killer Bass to catch up with us. What used to look like a definite victory was now a thick gray fog – it wasn't clear who was going to win anymore.

It also didn't help that Noah was still his sarcastic, stubborn self.

Finally, the last round. Gwen actually volunteered herself to start this out, since everyone knew Noah wasn't going to be a part of it. Knowing she still wasn't 100 percent, I volunteered as well to make sure she would be safe. Heather, Owen, and Leshawna joined us on the court, and we stared down our five opponents: DJ, Geoff, Courtney, Bridgette, Duncan, and Courtney. Yeah, I know I said Courtney twice – I was giving her extra attention. I wasn't going to let her underestimate us again.

As we waited for Chef's whistle, I could feel my heartbeat getting faster. I couldn't tell if it was because of the adrenaline brought by the game, or by the fact that I was standing next to Gwen. Probably both.

This was it: the final round. It's either going to be us or them.

The whistle blew…


	8. Bond Broken

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Seven: Bond Broken**_

I was the first one out.

By Courtney, no less.

Yeah, all that drama, all that suspense… for nothing.

Meh.

I sat next to Noah, who was still reading his book. I didn't even look at him anymore. I kept my focus on the game, watching to make sure Gwen was doing okay. For someone who could barely stay awake an hour ago, she was getting pretty active.

But she was still tired. I could tell.

And as I expected, she was out rather quickly.

She sat on the bleachers next to me. Yes! I knew it! She liked me! Or, it could be because it's the only open spot in the front, but that's just pessimistic thinking, Cody. Be positive! Besides… she's sitting rather close…

Alright! Now's my chance! Finally, I could start a brand new conversation with her, and maybe, just maybe, get to ask her out!

And then I felt a tap on my shoulder.

Crap! So close!

I went back out onto the court a very unhappy camper… pardon the pun…

-X-

It was one hell of a round – neither team was willing to give up! Back and forth, people being sent out, only to be pulled back in seconds later.

I saw Harold being brought into the game. I'm not going to lie, after the first round, I began to underestimate him, too, but at least I wasn't as bad as Courtney… right?

Speak of the devil…

**THUNK! **"OW!"

"That's… for the oatmeal."

There should be no doubts in your mind – a wide grin was plastered over my face. Not only was Courtney hit upside the head (with a dodgeball, mind you), but by Gwen! How awesome is _that_?

A few eliminations later (including a triple whammy on Duncan), I spotted DJ holding up a dodgeball. The first thing that went through my mind was to use the spin ball technique I used earlier to take DJ out, but before that idea was processed any further, I saw him staring at Gwen. I turned around toward her and realized she was looking quite fatigued.

There was no way she was going to react in time!

Without a second thought, I did what I had to do…

You know those scenes in action movies where a guy jumps in front of someone to protect them from getting shot? Well, I jumped in front of the ball just in time to protect Gwen from the dodgeball…

And got hit in the crotch.

"AGH!!" I yelped as I went down, holding my crotch in pain, somehow still aware of the fact that I will probably never, ever be able to father children. I whimpered in pain and rolled on the floor for a few seconds before finally quieting down. I still could barely move at the moment, so Chris had to pull me off the court.

"Sorry, dude!" DJ shouted from the other side. Yeah, I knew he didn't mean to hit me in the crotch, but that doesn't mean the pain hurt any less.

After being helped to the bleachers, I was somehow able to get up to the higher seats, in my usual spot behind Noah, who – who'd have thought – was still reading his book.

I looked back out to the court. DJ and Gwen both threw dodgeballs, and both ended up getting hit.

Which left only two…

Owen and Harold.

At that moment, the pain somehow went away, as it dawned on me: this is it! We saw Owen play before, as well as Harold. We were going to win!

Everyone else on my team must've been thinking the same thing, as we were all now cheering, as if we had already won.

Little did we know that Harold's skills weren't just BS…

-X-

It felt as though a dark storm cloud had suddenly appeared over our bleachers. I still couldn't believe what I had just seen. I don't think anyone did.

We had lost.

Harold somehow managed to dodge every ball and catch the last one in one hell of a display of athleticism that not even the Bass knew existed in the gawky teen.

"Gophers, what happened?" Chris asked us after the Bass left the arena. Honestly, even we weren't quite sure.

Unfortunately, our "spokesperson" Noah decided to speak. "What can I say? Weak effort."

Didn't he watch the game at all?

Needless to say, I was mad. I got hit in the frickin' crotch for my team! …Well, okay, for Gwen, but that's beside the point! What did _he_ do? Nothing!

The girls started leaving, and I decided to leave too. I didn't want to be around him right now.

-X-

"Ugh! I can't believe that guy!" Gwen growled as we stood in line for supper at the lodge.

I stayed silent. I knew who she was talking about, and I didn't want to get her any madder.

Suddenly, to my surprise, she turned to me. "Oh, Cody, I almost forgot… I didn't get to thank you for earlier, so… thanks."

Honestly, I was confused by this – I was probably so excited that she was talking to me that I wasn't quite thinking properly. "Thanks for what?"

She gave me a weird look. "Do you even have to ask?"

It took me a few seconds, but I finally got it. "Oh… that… Yeah… no problem, Gwen. I just did what I had to do." I felt my face get slightly warmer.

"…Okay, don't take this the wrong way, but that's kinda nonchalant for someone who got hit in the crotch with a dodgeball for nothing."

I became confused again. "What do you mean 'for nothing'?"

She rolled her eyes. "Um… earth to Cody… we _lost_."

"Yeah, but I got a 'thank you' out of it," I responded with a smile. "That's something."

A short silence followed. I got the feeling she felt uncomfortable talking to me about this. "Oh. So, who are you voting off tonight?"

I sighed – I didn't really think about it. At this point, I had never had to vote anyone off yet, and I wasn't sure if I could do it. "I don't know… What about you?"

"Either Noah or Heather," Gwen stated. "I haven't quite decided yet."

"Oh…" I couldn't say I was shocked to hear Noah's name, but that still didn't make me any happier. Like I said, Noah may have been a jerk to everyone else, but before this challenge he wasn't much of a jerk to me. Now… I don't know what to think. Maybe Noah really _is_ a jackass, and I had no idea. But I didn't really want to think of him as a jackass.

She didn't talk to me anymore after that. Darn. A part of me – not necessarily the part of me that really wanted to drop the subject – was hoping that our conversation would continue so I wouldn't have to just blatantly ask her out. I wanted my moment to be as subtle as possible, so rejection wouldn't be as likely.

…

Pfft! What am I saying? Who'd reject me? The Codester? Yeah. Right.

I finally got my dinner, which saddened me a little. What happened to all that good food before the Awake-a-thon? Why don't they make more of that?

I walked up to the Screaming Gophers' table… and found myself in a sticky situation.

At one side of the table sat Noah, who was alone in the corner – or at least as alone as you can be at a table where nearly all the seats are full. He didn't seem to mind, though. At the other side of the table was an open spot next to the friendly Owen and across from the lovely Gwen. Everyone seemed to be "crowded" around that area.

Here's the problem. Should I sit with my friend – whom everyone hates right now – and talk to him about this whole mess? Or should I sit with the others – who are going to great lengths to shun my friend – and basically hang out with the "in crowd" over my friend? Well, you're probably thinking, "Well, of course you sit next to your friend! He needs your support right now. That's what friends do."

Remember who I thought I was? The supposed king of cool?

I sat with the group.

"Hey, Cody!" Owen greeted as I sat down. "Awesome job in the first game, man. That was some cool stuff you did."

"Thanks," I said as I sat down. "I just wish I did that in the last game. Maybe we would've won."

Heather, who was also sitting next to me, let out a sinister-sounding giggle. "If you're worried about getting voted off, don't be. I think we've already decided who's going."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who?" Really, I didn't know. I had a pretty good hunch, but I didn't want to assume anything. And honestly I didn't want any of this to be true, either.

She leaned in to whisper his name in my ear. I glared at her. "_What?_" Okay, I admit I wasn't really _that _shocked, but I still didn't like this. "But… what if we need him later?" I asked, trying to defend my friend. "He could still be useful to the team, right?"

"Not if he doesn't do anything," she whispered. At first, I wasn't quite sure why she was whispering, but now I understood – she didn't want Noah to overhear. "Face it, all of these challenges are going to involve stamina and physical activity. If he doesn't participate in a freaking Dodgeball game, we'll be screwed in a game of Rugby."

It felt as though there was a big black hole in my chest at that moment, but I slowly agreed. "Alright. It's for the good of the team, right?"

"Exactly!" Heather answered, her voice at a normal tone now.

I turned to the others. They didn't look as excited as Heather was, but they still looked happy about their decision to vote Noah off.

This… this wasn't going to end well, I could tell.

-X-

**- CONFESSION CAM -**

_You know… I never really needed to use this before, but I guess I now have to._

_I really don't want to do this… I wish there was another way…_

…_Sorry, Noah…_

-X-

I was nervous. Really nervous.

Don't tell me you couldn't see it in my face.

Sure, I smiled when I got that marshmallow, but I think that was only the overwhelming feeling of knowing that you're still in the game.

But that wasn't what I was nervous about.

Chris turned to the final two contestants: Noah and Lindsay. "The final marshmallow goes to…"

I shut my eyes tight.

"…Lindsay."

I could tell by the look on Noah's face that he did _not_ see that coming.

"What, are you kidding me?" Noah shouted. I hid behind Owen as he started his rant – I didn't want him to see me right now. "Alright, fine! See if I care! Good luck, 'cause you just voted out the only one with any brains on this team!"

Ouch.

Some of the campers threw their marshmallows at him and jeered him for that last comment. Honestly, I don't blame them – what he said was pretty harsh.

But it didn't compare to what he said to me later…

-X-

Twenty minutes later, I stood at the dock as he appeared with his luggage. I was the only one there – the only one to see him off.

He didn't say a word as he passed me… and quite frankly, I wish it would've stayed that way.

After throwing his luggage on the boat, he turned to me. "Did you vote me off?"

I didn't answer – I didn't need to. I couldn't even look the guy in the face.

He sighed. "You know, I can't help being cynical. It's just the way I am. But I thought you of all people would've looked past that. I thought I saw something different in you, Cody. You said you thought _I _was cool, remember? That's the first time _anyone_ said that about me." He paused for a few seconds, and then added, "I thought you were my friend."

I looked up at him. I couldn't believe he just said that. I _was_ his friend!

He turned to the boat for a few seconds before once again turning back toward me.

"…I hope things don't work out between you two…"

Double ouch.

Without another word, he stepped onto the boat, and it pulled away from the dock, leaving me standing frozen on the dock. That black hole in my chest grew and grew, and I wouldn't have been surprised if it had engulfed my entire body.

-X-

Now, I don't know what it was about Noah being there that first week and a half, but something must've changed inside me, and I didn't even realize it for quite a long time. Aside from a few instances where I tried to be cool, for the most part I wasn't my "ladies' man", "womanizer" self when Noah was on the island. In a weird sense, Noah brought out the "geek" in me.

And now that he was gone, coupled with the words he said before he left, I found myself slowly, but surely, reverting back to "player" status. A part of me wanted to prove him wrong.

**-X-**

**Wow. A lot has been revealed in this chapter. I hope it explained a few things, like why Noah was so friendly with Cody before, and who knows – maybe this really is the reason why we don't see "pervy" Cody so much in the first couple challenges as we do later on.**

**Well, it's a thought…**


	9. Warped Again

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Eight: Warped Again**_

-X-

The next three days, I found myself trying to find a way to ask Gwen out, whether it was because I really wanted to, or because I wanted to spite Noah. Either way, none of the attempts worked. I had been following her a lot, watching her from afar, and hiding as fast as I could whenever she looked over. Yep. I could tell by the way she looked at me when we ate at the lodge – she thought I was stalking her.

…

Well, I guess I kinda was, but still… that was the last thing I wanted her to think that I was.

One day, she actually confronted me about it. "Look, Cody. I know you're bored 'cause Noah's not around, but can you _please_ find someone else to annoy?"

Of course, any normal person would leave her alone. I, on the other hand, thought she was just being shy. "It's okay, Gwen. I don't bite. Unless of course you want me to…"

I had a noticeable hand print on my face for the rest of the day.

Gwen wasn't the only one that had something to say to me on that particular day. I was sitting alone on the steps of the Screaming Gophers' cabin when I heard a voice behind me. "Y'all have a rough day, shug?"

I turned toward my addresser. "Nah, I've had worse, Leshawna."

"You have a palm print on your face."

"…That I have. That I have," I said, rubbing my cheek. "But like I said, I've had worse days."

"…Well, I'd hate to see your worse days, boy," Leshawna said, frowning at me.

I shrugged. "Gwen's just not ready for the Codemeister, that's all."

She sighed. "Cody, maybe you should leave Gwen alone for a little while. She's not exactly a peoples' person, y'know?"

"…She seems to get along with you and Trent just fine."

"…Alright," she said, giving in. "But just don't get yo'self hurt, 'kay Cody?"

I must've been quite clueless, because I wasn't quite sure what she was getting at. "Get hurt by what?"

"…Nevermind. Talk to you later, Cody." She stepped inside the cabin, leaving me to my thoughts.

-X-

"_The final marshmallow of the night goes to…"_

_Dramatic pause._

"…_Gwen."_

_I knew that would happen. It happened almost every night for the past week and a half._

"_Cody. It's time to walk the Dock of Shame, and you can never come back… EV– yeah, you know the drill."_

"_Yeah, I know." I got up and walked to the dock, but before I stepped onto the dock, I turned around. "Gwen! There's… There's something I need to tell you."_

_Gwen walked up to me, and I felt myself blush. "I… I…"_

"_Cody, don't."_

"…_What?"_

"_Just… go home…"_

_That black hole returned, and I looked down at my shoes. "…Okay." I stepped onto the boat, ashamed. As the boat sped off, I watched her slowly fade away into the distance, as well as the rest of the island. The black hole continued to grow as I suddenly realized… I just blew it…_

_Sighing, I sat down on a seat on the boat, and hung my head low._

"_Told ya."_

_I looked up at the driver of the boat and scowled. "Screw you, Noah."_

-X-

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo!!!**

Holy crap!

…Well, at least he didn't wake me up from a _good_ dream.

"Alright, campers! Enough beauty sleep! Time to show us what you're made of!"

I stirred and wiped my eyes. "Challenge day again?" I asked myself. I turned to the empty bunk opposite of mine, and sighed. "Well, looks like you won't have to compete in this one, either."

-X-

_Oh, wow. Congratulations on building such a beautiful stage, Chris. I bet Shakespeare could've only dreamed that his plays would be performed on such a piece of crap._

I smirked, if only for a second, at what I assumed Noah would've said if he was still in the contest. But the thought subsided when I saw a familiar face making her way toward the bleachers. She sat down next to Trent. I didn't mind – he was a cool guy.

He leaned back all "cool" like, so I decided to do it, too…

W-Whoa!

Thunk!

Ow…

Great…

After a few attempts of trying to get… unstuck, I decided to use this to my advantage by pretending that I meant to do that. I put my hands behind my head (like Trent) and gave Gwen a sly grin.

She didn't seem to notice.

No matter. I've got all day to woo her.

_Smooth move, Romeo._

…Shut up, imaginary Noah voice…

Chris stepped onto the stage and showed it off to us, as if it was the most amazing thing ever built. It was a piece of crap, we all knew, but Chris made it sound like it was better constructed than the Taj Mahal.

Then, he announced today's competition: a talent contest. I heard both teams cheer as he continued to explain the challenge. I wasn't as excited about it, though – for the most part my thoughts were focused on the girl sitting just two persons away from me.

Gwen… you are so… unbelievably perfect… Man, how I wish I could just hold you in my arms… tell you I love you… kiss your lips… maybe add some tongue…

_Geez, get a hold of yourself, Casanova._

…Okay, now I'm sure something is wrong with me…

Chris walked off the stage, and everyone started leaving… except me, who was still stuck. Fortunately, Owen gladly pulled me out of the bleachers.

-X-

We went straight to the campsite after that. Heather quickly got everyone's attention, as she started our "meeting" of sorts (of which Heather was apparently the President… wait, I thought the President wasn't allowed to move or vote during meetings).

Gwen quickly voiced her opinion about our "leader." I wasn't paying too much attention to what she was saying, though, I'll admit… I was too lost in her voice…

Then Trent walked up…

"Hey! Snagged you an extra muffin."

I mentally slapped my forehead. Why didn't I think of that?

Then it dawned on me.

…Did he like her, too?

…

This wasn't going to be easy, was it?

The auditions began. I declined to participate. I don't know why, but I actually enjoyed being a spectator to these kinds of things more than being a participant. But at least it wasn't like I needed to be a part of this one – we were only choosing three people. And I would only be a part of it if they needed me.

Owen went up to audition, and I found my (somewhat subtle) opening. I scooted toward Gwen (who seemed more interested in talking to Trent than the auditions) and watched as Owen downed an entire liter of soda. I'll admit, I was a little disturbed at first (especially since I had no idea what the hell Owen was about to do), but then I found myself astonished as Owen actually burped the entire alphabet afterwards.

I cheered (along with Trent and the normally quiet Justin) while the girls just sat there, still stuck on "disturbed."

Trent ran up to Owen and high-fived him. "That was excellent, man!"

Heather scoffed. "Well, you're not going to do that in this contest! That's disgusting!"

Is she crazy?! As "disgusting" as that may have been, that took some damn good talent!

It probably would've been our shoe-in, too.

After Trent stood up for the big guy, Owen leaned over, about to demonstrate his portrayal of Beethoven's Fifth. I smirked as the others quickly made their disapproval known. And honestly… that would've been so awesome! …And gross, yes, but still… I couldn't say I wasn't interested.

Trent and Owen finally sat down to make way for other auditions. That's when I noticed something…

"…Hey, where'd Gwen go?"

"She left," Heather said, almost growling.

Really? How come I didn't notice?

But… wait a minute… she was alone. And I wasn't going to audition anyway…

"Hey, I gotta go do… something," I said to Owen as I stood up.

"Alright. Take care, dude," Owen said, not even questioning where I was going.

I nodded and started making my way down the steps before I was stopped by Heather.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Well… I figured that since I have no say in the other auditions anyway, I could probably go," I replied.

She glared at me with evil eyes. "Fine, but no one leaves until after _my _audition."

I shrugged. "Alright." What's one audition?

"I need to get something quick. Lindsay, Beth, make sure everyone stays put," she said as she walked off. I caught her giving me another sinister glare as she walked by me.

What was her problem?

-X-

A few minutes later, I was getting antsy. I _really_ wanted to talk to Gwen right now, and waiting for Heather to come back was wasting my precious time. I may never get a chance like this again! Hurry up!

Finally, she came back… in a tutu.

…Okay, I wasn't expecting that.

She explained that her talent was ballet. Now, I wasn't a big fan of ballet myself, but hey… girls in tutus… Not too shabby. And for someone so bossy and snappy, she was pretty graceful when she danced. Even though it didn't count, she had my vote to be in the contest.

After Lindsay and Beth voted her in, she told us to take a break. Finally! I started walking off before realizing… "Wait… where _did_ she go, exactly?" Now, I didn't think that Gwen would stray too far from the campsite, but the surrounding area was still pretty big.

Well, I guess I'll have to do some hiking…

-X-

Holy crap! Where the hell did she go?

She wasn't in the lodge.

She wasn't at the dock.

She wasn't at the bonfire pit.

It was already about a half hour since Heather told us to "take five." So I decided to go back to camp. Maybe she was back at the campsite.

She wasn't, but Izzy was about to audition, so I decided to stay anyway. Besides, I was interested in what sort of talent Izzy could cook up for this contest. Knowing her, it could be _anything._

Well, whatever it was… it got Owen's full attention.

Once Izzy's… dance-thing… was over, I stood up. "Great job, Izzy," I said before walking away.

"Hey! Where ya goin', Shorty?" Izzy asked, and I turned around to address her.

"Just… gotta do something."

She looked confused. "Do what?"

I didn't know why I couldn't say 'look for Gwen', but I couldn't. "It's… uh… I need to go."

"But… What could you do that's so important?" She just kept egging me on. "I mean, it's not like you have a date or anything. Noah'snotontheislandanymore…"

"What?" I stopped dead in my tracks. I looked at her inquisitively. What was up with her and pairing me up with Noah?

"Nothing. Nothing," she said quickly, trying to make it sound like I was hearing things, no doubt. "Geez! Are you always this jumpy?"

_Are you always this _crazy_?_

Well, at least it was appropriate this time, imaginary Noah voice.

-X-

So, I was on my little quest again. I decided to see if she went into the forest. Just my luck, there she was, sitting on a lone stump. She was writing in some sort of book. I figured it was either some sort of journal or sketchbook.

And… she was all alone.

No Trent.

No Owen.

No Heather.

No distractions.

This was it… Time to make my move!

…Don't screw it up, Cody…

**-X-**

**Well, that was an interesting chapter, don't you think? And personally, I don't think Cody's crazy. I believe there's an inner Noah inside us all…**

…

**Did that sound wrong to you?**

…

**Anyways, thanks for reading!**


	10. The Talent Show

**Before I begin this chapter, I better explain the reasoning behind the first few paragraphs of it. For some reason, a good number of my favorite characters in different series (so it can't just be coincidence) seem to have the possibility of having insecurity issues when you get down to the nitty gritty, so to speak. I don't know what it is about these characters that make them jump out at me, but for some reason I seem to be drawn to them. And yes, I do mention two notable ones in the second paragraph, and they are owned by Christy Hui and DC Comics, respectively.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Nine: Insert Trent Joke Here – I mean, The Talent Show**_

What is it about our insecurities that make us try to be something we're not? That's an interesting question, isn't it? Now, I'm not saying everyone is a hypocrite or living a double life, but I think it's safe to say that it happens more often than we expect.

But sometimes we could be living in a façade of sorts and not even know it. I sure as hell didn't. But looking back, it was so freaking obvious. I wasn't really cool, but at the time I actually believed I was (or, at least I tried so hard to believe that I was that I actually accepted it as a fact), and I believed others thought so too, especially when I _tried_ to be cool. But the thing that separates me from all the Jack Spicers and Garfield Logans of the world is the fact that… well… I wasn't very good at hiding the truth.

That didn't stop me, though.

So there I was, walking up to the girl of my dreams in the hopes that I was also the boy of hers. Pfft! What was I thinking? Of course I was! I'm in every girl's dreams. They can't get enough of me. "Whatcha got there?" I asked. "A journal?"

"Beat it."

Not exactly the response I was hoping for, but I kept smiling as I sat next to her on the stump. "Oh, I get it. Yeah, it's private, huh? I'm down with that. It's cool, bra," I said, trying to sweet talk her into a conversation, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself peeking over her shoulder at what she was writing, hoping that she was writing something about me.

She moved the book away from where I could see it. "What part of 'beat it' don't you understand?" _Obviously,_ she was being shy. Perhaps there was something… dirty in that diary, involving me. Maybe a little lemon story she's writing about the two of us? Maybe there's an even darker side to her that I didn't know about…

Of course, thinking about that possible… "darker side" brought out mine, and I found myself leaning toward her, inhaling through my nose, taking in the sweet scent of her hair…

Not a second after I did the deed, I was starting to regret it. She stood up and glared at me. "What are you? Some kind of freak?"

Oh, crap… I blew it, didn't I?

_Do you really need to ask, Hotshot?_

Now's not the time…

I rubbed my arm, ashamed at myself. "Y-you smell… really pretty…"

"Freaked out" didn't begin to describe how Gwen looked at me. "It's just… soap…"

I watched as she began to walk away, and I cursed at myself under my breath. So much for not blowing it…

But, maybe there's some way I can make up for it…

I got up and followed her. It didn't take her long to notice. "Cody… Go away…" she said, her voice still sounding awkward. Not that I expected her to forget about me… sniffing her so soon.

"Look, sorry about… that…" I began.

She sighed. "Save it, Cody. You're not sorry. Guys like you never are."

...What?! What did she mean by that? "No, really… I don't know what came over me… Here, let me make it up to you… how about a picnic sometime?"

She didn't answer – she just kept walking.

I continued to follow. "So…is that a yes?"

She was still silent.

"…Gwen?"

She stopped and turned. "Cody. Shut. Up."

I frowned, but only for a second. She just said 'shut up.' That didn't mean I couldn't hang around with her, right?

_Boy, you sure know how to find a loop-hole, Cody._

Why, thank you, imaginary Noah voice.

When we made it back to camp, we noticed something… different.

There was a hole in the ground.

"I won't even ask," Gwen said as she stepped over the hole. Still following her, I did a small hop over the hole and followed her to the cabin. I was going to make it up to her somehow… maybe I should be a little more chivalrous. Maybe she'll appreciate that.

"Here, let me get it," I said as I rushed past her and opened the door for her.

"Look!" I heard from a few meters away. "The first hook-up of the season."

I turned to Gwen hopefully as she turned to her addresser, Heather. "Oh, yeah. We were going at it big time." She grabbed the doorknob on her side. "I need to swim just to cool off." I beamed with confidence, if only for a second, as the sudden slamming of the cabin door startled me. Turning toward the door, I found that "darker side" rising again as I stepped toward the cabin door and peered through the window.

Okay, so it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, since Gwen had been wearing her two-piece bathing suit under her clothes, but I still felt like I was going to melt when I saw her strip.

It didn't take long before I found myself with a door slammed open in my face. "Agh!"

"Gwen! Wait up!" I heard as I shut the door (mostly just to get it out of my face). I watched as Trent ran up to her. "I'll come with you."

"Sure! …I mean, whatever…"

I sighed, feeling ignored and confused. Why did she ignore me whenever I wanted to hang out with her, but whenever Trent wanted to, she always agreed? I was so confused that I didn't even catch what Heather said to Lindsay as I walked to the boys' side of the cabin. I didn't care, either. I was pretty sure it didn't concern me anyway.

-X-

"Hey, Cody!" I heard as I entered the cabin. "What's up, man?"

I smiled again. Only Owen could make a guy forget about his troubles so quickly. "Hey, big guy."

"Hey, you wanna go swimming?"

My eyes widened, along with my smile. "Sure, buddy!" Gwen said she was swimming too, right? This is perfect!

Owen and I changed into our swimming trunks and left the cabin.

"…Lindsay? What are you doing?"

Lindsay, who was standing in front of the girls' door, turned toward us and smiled. "Hey, Corey! Hey, Owen!" she shouted waving at us. "I'm just… standing here… in front of the door…"

"Um… okay," I said, shrugging it off. It wasn't any of my business anyway.

As Owen and I walked away, I could've sworn I heard Lindsay sighing with relief. But I figured it was just my imagination.

We ran toward the docks, and sure enough: Gwen and Trent were there. Alright… don't screw it up, Codemeister…

"Canonbaaaaaaaaaall!!" I heard beside me, and I suddenly forgot my mission. Why strain myself in order to impress her when I can do it by having fun? So, I found myself joining Owen with my own Cannonball.

Unfortunately, the combined force of my and Owen's (mostly Owen's) Cannonballs had splashed Gwen heavily with water. Lots of water.

Needless to say… she was pissed off.

She stormed off as Owen and I surfaced, and Trent looked over us with a stern look. "Nice going, guys."

Owen turned to me. "Yeah. Nice going."

What? It was your idea!

_Cody, remember who you're dealing with: a bunch of idiots._

I hate to say it, but I agreed with my inner Noah this time.

-X-

I went straight back to the cabin soon after that. As I did, I found Heather and Lindsay leaving their cabin. "Hey, Corey!" Lindsay greeted.

"Hey, Lindsay!" I greeted back. Heather scoffed, and I assumed it was because I didn't greet her right away. "Hey, Heather."

"Whatever, dweeb," she mumbled as she walked past me. I looked at her with raised eyebrows. What was _that_ all about?

I turned to Lindsay. At least _she_ wasn't like that. "Say… have you seen Gwen?"

She nodded. "Yep! She's in the cabin."

"Okay, cool," I said, and I went up to the door, but I stopped myself. She was pretty peeved before… maybe talking to her wouldn't be such a good idea. And besides… I was still in my swimming trunks. I needed to change out of them anyway.

"Meh, I can always talk to her later…Yeah! I'll talk to her after the talent show." I smiled again. By then, she was sure to have been over it.

-X-

Hours later, I found myself sitting next to Owen on the bleachers in front of the stage. I would've sat next to Gwen, but I didn't want to risk it, in case she was still in a bad mood. I figured the talent show would brighten her mood a little bit, and maybe I could try and chat with her once that happened.

"Welcome to the very first Camp Wawanakwa talent contest," Chris began as he took the stage, "where six campers will showcase their mad skills and desperately try not to humiliate themselves. First up for the Screaming Gophers is Justin!"

Alright, now I'm not exactly sure what I had witnessed (and I don't think anyone really did), but somehow we all were thinking the same thing: it was pretty damn good.

Though some of the girls (and Owen) may have added "and hot" to that last part.

Chris came back on the stage, clapping. "Okay, I don't know what that was, but daaaaaaaang! You've got some moves, dude!"

Alright, so we were off to a good start. But I was curious with what some of the Bass talents were. Hey, what can I say? It's not like I hate them – I don't – they're just my opponents.

DJ was next. Now, I can't really think of any specific name for what he was doing, but I know I've seen it before somewhere. Unfortunately (well… for the Bass – it was fortunate for us), he tripped on the ribbon, and his recovery wasn't very well executed.

So, after "round one" we were in the lead (though really, it is only the most talented _camper _who wins, _not _team), and I hoped it would stay that way.

The second wave began as Chris announced our next performer. "Next on deck, Trent. Take it away, my bro."

Trent sat on a stool in the middle of the stage with his guitar. "This one goes out to someone special at camp." Then, he began to sing. It wasn't a bad song, but I couldn't exactly… enjoy it, as from my spot on the bleachers I could practically see the love of my life melt for another dude's words.

_Cody, just enjoy the damn song. Don't get emo on me, geek boy._

Well, when imaginary Noah voice is right, he's right.

Besides, look on the bright side: Gwen's definitely in a good mood now! And that's exactly what I was hoping for.

"…I'd stick around… for just one kiss…"

We clapped for the musician, who was soon joined by Chris. "Nice work! I'm liking your style, dude. And so does Grand Master Chef!" Trent waved at us before Chris pushed him off-stage. "Okay, quit hogging my light, buddy."

The television host turned to us and announced the next contestant: Bridgette.

It took a few seconds, but suddenly we saw Bridgette coming out from backstage, walking on her hands.

Hey, that's pretty cool.

But right away it seemed like she was having problems, and she burped. Owen and I smirked at each other – a combination of the thoughts "she's going down fast" and "hey… girls burping… that's pretty hot." And despite what some girls may think, sometimes we guys like it when girls act a little… "uncivilized." Because hey… when are _we_?

Unfortunately, the "she's going down fast" part was the only one of the two thoughts that we were thinking when that burped turned into… well… vomit.

Lots and lots of vomit.

Seriously, how did all that puke even fit in her stomach?

In fact, it began to sound like a war-zone, really.

"I'm hit! I'm hit!"

"AAAaaaaaaaagh!!! Bleeeeeeeeegh!"

"Hey! Puke on your own boyfriend!"

And that was about when the "war-zone" feeling ended.

Chris began to walk on stage once more, carefully trying not to step in any vomit. "Clean up in aisles three, four, five, and six! In the meantime, we'll take a short break to hose the joint down."

As soon as he said that, Chef Hatchet appeared out of seemingly nowhere with a high-powered garden hose. After spraying the stage, he pointed it at the bleachers.

Oh, boy…

But hey, at least it can't get any worse… right?

…

…Right?


	11. The Witch

**Alright, I have to say this before I start the chapter. When Trent says "**_**she's **_**going home", it may look like he's referring to Gwen, but he's really referring to Heather. I just wanted to make that clear.**

**Also, this chapter explains my theory as to how Justin got voted off, since five votes against him would've just made it a tie if everyone else voted for Heather.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Ten: The Witch**_

"Welcome back!" Chris exclaimed after all the vomit was washed off the stage and Chef finished three whole bottles of Febreze. "Okay, so in a strange turn of events, Bridgette's chunk-blowing-fest registered two thumbs up by Grand Master Chef! But it's not enough to pull ahead of the Screaming Gophers, who hold the lead with Trent's love song."

With that, I turned to the guy now sitting next to me, who was still holding his guitar. "Good job, by the way." We bumped fists.

"Thanks, dude," he replied, smiling.

Chris continued. "So, without further delay, here she is for the leaders, Heather!"

I clapped, as did some of my teammates. Her dance recital was pretty good before. Perhaps it can wow Chef to a full nine bars on the Chef-O-Meter.

To my surprise, she sat on a stool instead. Wait… wasn't she going to dance?

"Originally, I was going to dance for you, but instead I want to celebrate team spirit with a collaboration." She held up a book. Hmm… that book looked oddly familiar…

_It's Gwen's journal, retard._

…Oh yeah.

…Wait, what's she doing with Gwen's…

"So, with words by Gwen, performance by me, enjoy!" She cleared her throat. "'Okay, so I'm trying to ignore him, but he's just so cute."

…Hey, wait… she had been ignoring _me_ a lot…

"If they had custom-ordered a guy to be a distraction for me here, it would've been McHottie."

…Could…could that really be about me?

…

Yes! It had to be me! She ignores me all the time! And let's face it… I'm a-smokin' hot!

"We just totally connect. He's pretty much the only person I can relate to here, and I know it's a cliché, but I love guys who play guitar…"

My grin fell like it was being held down by lead weight. "Wait… I don't play guitar…"

Then it hit me… like a ton of bricks.

Yeah, I knew who it was, but I didn't want to believe it. I turned to look at my friend sitting next to me, who stared back. He seemed surprised, too.

Though I don't know why _he _was surprised.

After a few seconds, I turned to Gwen, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Obviously embarrassed, she slowly made her way toward the edge of the bleachers and high-tailed it out of dodge.

"Thank you!" Heather said, closing the book, earning a few glares from both teams.

I couldn't take it. I stood up, as did Trent, but we were stopped.

"Guys, let her chill for a while," Owen said calmly.

Reluctantly, we sat down. He was right – in this state, she wouldn't have wanted to talk to either of us anyway.

Chris appeared on stage again, a smile still on his face; however, I could tell it was somewhat forced. "Well, then it's down to the final act of the night. Can Geoff and his rad stunts turn it around? …I seriously doubt it. Let's find out!"

After about five minutes, I was starting to get worried. Even if Geoff was on the other team, he was a pretty nice guy, and I hated to think that something bad happened to him.

I saw Bridgette and Courtney look out from behind the curtain. They didn't seem concerned, so I assumed Geoff was okay. But there must've been some complications, since the two were beckoning… Harold?!

I was about to chuckle despite myself, but the imaginary Noah voice stopped me.

_We're screwed…_

What do you mean?

_Think about it Cody… Why am I gone?_

…Good point…

And sure enough, the imaginary Noah voice was right. Harold performed an amazing display of beat-boxing, once again shovin' it to anyone that doubted his mad skills. Even we Gophers were impressed by his performance, as we too cheered for the underdog's well-deserved victory.

"Wicked beat-boxing, dude!" Chris said as he made his way onstage. "Check it out! Grand Master Chef had declared his winner! Even though they held the lead, the Screaming Gophers have been trampled by the Killer Bass!"

Chris turned to us, and our cheers ended, as it now dawned on us that one of us was going to leave. "And as for the Screaming Gophers, pick your favorite loser, and I'll see you at the bonfire."

As we stood up to leave, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned. "Trent?"

"Hey, I want to look for Gwen… but I'm sure she probably doesn't want to see me right now. You think you can talk to her?"

My eyes widened, but I slowly nodded. "Uh… sure."

"Alright. Thanks, bro. And tell her… _she's_ going home."

I smiled and nodded again. "Will do."

-X-

I don't know what drew me to the stump. Maybe it was because I doubted that she'd be near the bonfire pit or the camp, or anywhere else that the others would most likely be. Or, maybe it's because of what happened earlier with us.

Either way, that's where I found her… again…

"Hey… Gwen?"

She was sitting with her head buried in her arms, which were held up by her knees. She didn't move, so I wasn't sure if she could hear me. I slowly stepped closer. "…Gwen?"

Finally, she looked up. I could see a faint blush on her face, as well as a few stray tears. "Cody… now's not the time…"

Did… did she think I was trying to hit on her?

Well, whether she thought that or not, I was still going to do something about this. Remember that black hole? It was back, and I now knew why. It always came when someone I really cared about was hurt… and I was partially at fault…

I sat next to her – she didn't seem to notice. I began to gently rub her back – surprisingly, she let me. "It's okay, Gwen. She's going home. You don't have to worry about her anymore."

"…She is?"

"Mm-hmm! Trent and I are going to vote her off, and I'm sure Leshawna is going to, too. And with you, that's four votes. We'd only need two more, and it's a done deal. Besides, who else are the others going to vote off?"

After a short pause, she looked up at me, smiling. "Thanks, Cody."

The black hole disappeared, and I smiled back. "No, thank you, Gwen."

She gave me a weird look. Maybe I shouldn't have said that, but I really did want to thank her. She always ignored me, and it felt great to finally talk to her… and actually make her smile…

I must've been smiling at her a little too long. "Okay, you're starting to freak me out a little, Cody."

"S-Sorry," I said, turning away. I felt my face heat up a little.

"…So… Where's Trent?"

"He's probably back at camp. He wasn't sure if you wanted to see him or not."

She nodded in understanding. "Well, I didn't really want to before, but I do now."

I smiled again. "So… Are you going, then?"

She gave me that weird look again. "Pardon?"

"Well, I figured I'd stay here for a little bit… so if you wanted to go back to camp…"

"Um… okay…" She got up and started to walk away. "See ya, Cody."

I could tell she was starting to feel awkward around me, so a part of me was glad she left. Still, most of me wanted to be with her soooooooooooo much… But my chances were looking slimmer and slimmer every second, and after I found about her crush on Trent… those chances felt virtually non-existant.

I looked down at the stump I was sitting on, and sighed. She likes Trent… She likes Trent… No matter how many times I said that to myself, I still couldn't get used to it.

-X-

**- CONFESSION CAM -**

_I know I can't say anything._

_When you were reading her diary, I wanted to hear it._

_I wanted to know what she wrote about "me."_

_But I'm starting to regret it. Big time._

_That being said, I vote for Heather._

-X-

As I left the confession can, I ran into Justin. "Hey, dude. Ready to vote?"

He nodded. "Yep. I don't know about you… but I can't stand Izzy. She scares me, man…"

As he entered the can, I thought about who he was voting for. "…Meh, it's just one vote…" I smiled at this revelation. If Justin was voting for Izzy, then we only needed one more vote against Heather to have majority.

She was _definitely_ going home…

-X-

"Justin, I personally think this is very wrong, but tonight hotness just wasn't enough. The last marshmallow goes to… Heather."

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!

"Time to catch the Boat of Losers, bra."

"Later, bra!"

Please… tell me that didn't happen…

Who the hell voted for Justin?!

…

Wait…

If Gwen, Trent, Leshawna, and I voted for Heather…

…and Justin voted for Izzy…

…

…then everyone else had to have voted for Justin.

…

…But… why?

**-X-**

**Hmm… Something's going on, and Cody's a little suspicious. Everyone saw what happened to Gwen, so why did Justin get the boot? (Well, obviously, we all know the answer, but **_**he **_**doesn't. That's the beauty of dramatic irony).**

**If you think Gwen's a little too "chummy" to Cody in this chapter, I wouldn't be surprised. Really, the reason why – at least this is my excuse – is because she thought Heather was going home. This **_**could**_** explain why Gwen didn't seem so upset at the beginning of the bonfire scene of the episode – she was smiling at Trent at the beginning of the scene, in contrast to trying to avoid him in the next episode.**

**See, I thought some of this stuff through, too.**


	12. Ups and Downers

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Eleven: Ups and Downers**_

-X-

I couldn't sleep that night.

It wasn't so much _what _had happened, but trying to figure out _how _it happened that bothered me the most.

I looked over at Owen's bunk. He said Heather bribed him with cake. Okay, I guess I could believe that.

But Owen couldn't. He claimed Heather had him at a moment of weakness.

_Well, no crap! She had cake!_

Heh heh…

But still… I hope that jezebel gets what's coming to her…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"

I sprung up like we were being shot at. "What the hell?"

Okay, now I _really_ wasn't going to be able to sleep…

-X-

Hmm… I guess I was wrong…

I woke up the next morning via someone shaking me lightly. "Heh heh… Cody, wake up."

"Huh? Wha…?" I opened my eyes to find a smirking Trent.

"You're not going to believe what happened last night."

"What?"

-X-

"Pfft! Hahahahahaha!" I couldn't stop laughing all the way to the lodge.

Trent laughed along with me. "Ha ha… okay, dude, it's not _that_ funny."

"Dude, are you kidding? This is amazing!" I wiped a tear from my eye. "Poetic justice, my man. Poetic justice."

He nodded and agreed. "Of course. What can I say? Our girl can handle herself, huh?"

"…_Our_ girl?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You know… a fellow Screaming Gopher."

"Oh…"

After a short pause, I spoke up again. "So… did Gwen talk to you last night?"

He frowned. "Um… before or after the bonfire?"

"…Why do you ask?"

He stopped walking and sighed, causing me to stop as well. "Well, after Justin got the boot, she didn't really want to talk to anyone, especially me. I guess the fact that Heather was staying after what she did… kinda made her… depressed about the whole thing, you know?"

"Not too depressed to keep from dumping a red ant farm on Heather."

"True," he agreed, "but other than that, she's been really… private since the bonfire. Not that she wasn't a private person before, but… more private, you know?"

"Yeah… I get what you mean."

"Attention campers!" we heard on the loudspeaker. "I know you just had a challenge yesterday, but… you've got another one today. When you're finished with breakfast, head on over to the campfire pit and I'll fill you in on the details!"

I watched Trent roll his eyes. "_Another_ challenge? This is crazy!"

"This is madness," I added jokingly.

"No… this… is… WAWANAKWA!!" he shouted with a smirk, but he quickly frowned afterwards. "…Eh, it doesn't really work, does it?"

"…This…is…Muskoka?" I suggested.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded. "…Better…"

-X-

"Cody, you okay, dude?"

This snapped me back to reality. "Huh?"

Trent, now sitting across from me at our table, frowned. "Normally, you'd at least attempt to eat something. No matter how inedible it is."

…

"…Cody!"

"Gah! Sorry, man… I guess I'm just not that hungry."

He sighed at me. "Dude… I'm not blind. You've been watching her ever since we sat down." We both silently turned to the Goth girl at the far end of the table – the same corner Noah was sitting in when the rest of the team shunned him. Funny, even though this time the majority of the table seemed to show empathy for the person in the corner, and though Noah wasn't depressed in the slightest, this still looked quite the same to me.

"Think someone should talk to her?" I finally asked Trent, who seemed quite startled to hear my reply.

"…Well, she won't talk to me. Trust me, I've tried." He rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not sure if it'd be a good idea for you to talk to her either. She may be steamed. Hell, she may even snap."

Reluctantly, I nodded. "Yeah… You may be right. But I still think we should do something, you know?"

"I hear ya," Trent said as he slowly brought a piece of gravioli (something Chef made mixing ravioli with gray slop) to his mouth. Quickly, he spit it out. "Augh! Dude! Nasty!"

An evil chuckle could be heard from the kitchen.

"…Now, I'm _really _not hungry," I said, pushing my bowl away from me.

-X-

"Campers, today's challenge will test your outdoor survival skills. I'm not going to lie to you—some of you may not come back alive."

I gasped, as did several others. Was Chris serious?

"Just kidding," Chris said, laughing. I nearly fell off my stump from the sudden lack of suspense in the air. "All you have to do is spend one night in the woods. Everything you need is at your team's campsite in the forest. You just have to find it." He tossed a map and compass to both teams. "Oh! And watch out for bears! Lost a couple of interns in preproduction."

Only Chris could say that with a smile on his face…

…

Scratch that. Maybe Izzy could, too…

-X-

The contest had begun, and Gwen was our leader… kind of… Not so much the "telling us what to do" kind of leader; more the "let's follow her to the campsite" kind of leader. Which was actually kinda weird, since she didn't have the map OR the compass with her.

Really, I wasn't even sure she knew where she was going.

Damn, she was really depressed. I don't think she looked up at all. Even when Trent tried to talk to her, she shrugged him off. This was bad; I could tell.

"Ugh! She is _SO _the next one to leave…"

This snapped me out of my thoughts. "Hmm?"

"Who?" Trent asked.

"Who do you think?" Heather scoffed, gesturing toward the Goth girl ahead of us. "She dumped Harold's red ant farm into my bed!

I smirked, but only for a second. I didn't want Heather to catch it.

"Yeah, but you _did_ read her diary out loud to the entire world," Trent said, standing up for Gwen. Dude's got guts, I'll give him that.

Heather stopped. Uh-oh… Trent's dead.

I stopped as those in front of me did, but I felt someone bump into me from behind, and I was shoved into Trent. Surprisingly, no one fell.

"SO?"

"So? That was pretty harsh," Trent explained. Damn, this guy must be fearless.

Heather let out a growl. "She is going down."

What… what the hell? What did Gwen ever do to her?

And the red ant farm thing doesn't count. She wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for Heather reading her diary.

Still, I found myself walking forward with the rest of the group. Trent, however, seemed to be frozen in place. I don't blame him.

"Ooh, that girl's gonna git it someday," I heard Leshawna whisper behind me. I turned my head to see her.

"Just let it go," I whispered. "She can't break us. If we stick together, there's no way she'll be able to get rid of Gwen."

Leshawna smiled. "I like the way you think, white boy."

I shrugged. "Well, I tend to do a lot of thinking…"

-X-

Somehow, Gwen managed to lead us right to the camp, even without having the map or compass with her, or even looking up for that matter. Right away, I began to walk around the general area, checking out the scenery.

I overheard Owen, Trent, and Heather talking about food. Apparently, we were supposed to find our own. Owen volunteered to find food for us, which honestly wasn't much of a shocker to me. I was just hoping Owen wouldn't eat it before he got back.

"Hey, Cody!"

Huh? I turned. "Oh, hey Beth. What's up?"

"Ithn't thish cool? We're, like, camping!"

"…We already have been. That's the theme of this entire show. Summer camp, remember?"

"Yeah, but we'll be in tenths!"

"Correction: _a _tent. There's only one, as far as I could see," I said. Sorry, I know this sounds kinda… jerkish. Maybe it's my "Noah side" coming out.

_Cody… that sounds so wrong on so many levels._

Yeah, I know.

"Tho… what'th new with you?"

I scratched the back of my neck. The question left me off-guard. "Well… I… um… I guess nothing, really."

"Really?" she asked. She seemed confused. "But you theemed tho lotht in thought earlier. I thought thomething may have happened to you."

I looked down, a sigh escaping my lips. Yeah. I was lost in thought today. 'Cause of what was happening to Gwen.

But I can't tell her that. She's Heather's lackey.

But… she didn't seem like Heather…

Alright. I'll tell her.

I looked up at Beth. "It's Gwen. I'm worried about her. What if Heather pushes her over the edge?"

I waited for her to respond, but hers was one I certainly wasn't expecting. "Cody, thhe ith probably jutht going through one of thothe 'Goth' phatheth, or thomething." I wasn't convinced, and she could probably tell by the look on my face. "Thhe'll be fine, Cody. Don't worry."

It took a few seconds for those words to sink in, but I eventually smiled. "Thanks, Beth."

She grinned back at me. "No problem, Cody!" She gave me a quick hug before walking off. "Take care, Codethter!"

Heh heh… 'Codethter.' I liked that, honestly. Especially since it came from someone I thought would be one of the least likely persons to call me "Codester" in the first place.

I continued to think about what Beth said. She was probably right. We all have our ups and downs. And Gwen's a Goth, so she's probably had some pretty big downs before. Maybe things will start looking up soon.

Well, at least we can all hope so…

**-X-**

**This chapter contained one of my favorite sentences I've ever typed: "Cody, thhe ith probably jutht going through one of thothe 'Goth' phatheth, or thomething." Thanks to Spell/Grammar Check, this looks like a Christmas decoration on Word.**


	13. Of Fish and Fishy Tales

**Short chapter, yes, but hopefully you enjoy it nonetheless.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twelve: Of Fish and Fishy Tales**_

-X-

"Hurry up with the fire already!"

"Heather…"

"Don't talk back to me!"

"Oh, shut up, white girl."

"What? De—oh—de… Make me!"

"Ladies, chill."

"Keep out of this, dweeb!"

"Heather, that wathn't very nishe."

"Beth, shut up."

"Alright, despite the constant distractions, I got the fire started."

"Good job, Trent."

"Thanks, dude."

"Whatever…"

"Ooooooooooh… How did you do that? Are you, like, a magician?"

Well… So far so good, I suppose… I mean, we're still alive, right?

Owen still hadn't come back with the food yet, and tension was rising. Everyone was desperate for food. How desperate? Well… some of us were actually missing Chef's cooking. Yeah, scary, right?

"Tho Cody, you feeling better?" I heard Beth ask me, and I turned to her.

I was sure she was talking about earlier, so I nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"Jusht making sure."

"Oh… Thanks." I know I had already thanked her earlier, but I felt I should say it again.

After that, we kept silent, sitting and staying warm by the fire.

-X-

I don't know how long I had been sitting here, but it had to have been at least an hour. I heard talking. I turned my head and smiled. Trent finally got Gwen to talk to him, though as far as I could tell, Gwen still wasn't talking all that much. But at least she was talking: that's the main thing.

I turned back to the fire. Yeah… things will get better… I know it…

Heather started complaining about being hungry. Yeah. As if none of us were.

Izzy also complained, but she did it in such an Izzy way that couldn't possibly annoy me.

"Yo."

…The hell?

"Who ordered the Pepperoni? Extra cheese?"

"It's for the camera crew. Over here!"

…Seriously?

Wait… How did a pizza delivery guy get to the island?

"I am man!" My attention was once again grabbed by this new voice. "I bring fish!"

Sweet! I got up, as did most of the others, and we walked over to Owen, who was holding several fish.

"Oh, man! You're awesome!" Trent said, eyeing the fish.

Izzy grabbed one. "I love fish! I love fish!" Chomp. Silence. "…I-I guess we should cook it first, huh?"

Um… Yeah… Probably…

Owen began to explain his fishing roots, how his grandfather taught him to fish, etc. He also showed us a shark bite on his butt… I'm surprised I didn't notice it from all those other times he was… nude.

…Ugh…bad image…

After Owen finally pulled his shorts up (thank God…), he started setting everything up to cook the fish. Izzy had left the campsite to find a private place to pee. Everyone else just sat on the ground, waiting for the fish to be ready to eat.

"Yo, Cody!"

Hmm? I turned to find Trent waving for me to come over by him and Gwen, who were once again sitting together by the tent. Gwen didn't seem _too _thrilled about Trent calling me over, but she wasn't complaining either, and that was good enough for me. So, I went over. "Hey, what's up?"

"Well, Gwen's talkin' to me now," he said, looking over to Gwen, who rolled her eyes.

"That's good," I said, smiling at Gwen. "Glad you're feeling better."

"I'm not feeling that much better," she replied, groaning. "Just… less depressed, really."

"…Well, that's still better, isn't it?" I asked.

She gave me a weird look. "Cody, why are you so positive all the time?"

"Gwen…" Trent began, probably not liking where this was heading, but I cut him off.

"I don't know," I said, turning away. "I really don't." I turned away because… because I didn't want her to see that I was hurt by what she said. No, it wasn't the words themselves that hurt, it was the way she said it: like I was some sort of weirdo.

"Gwen," I heard Trent begin to speak again, but I didn't pay attention to anymore of what he said. I just scooted my way around the perimeter of the tent, putting my full attention to the fire. At least the fire didn't complain about me when I gave it attention.

Damn… what am I thinking? Gwen's hurt – still hurt – and all I can think of is me – my problems. What's wrong with me? She has every right to complain about me if this is really how I think about her…

I thought about all those times I've hit on her over the past few weeks, especially yesterday – currently the worst day of my life (keyword: _currently_ – little did I know it would get much worse…). I was terrible. I stalked her, I tried to read her diary, I sniffed her hair… and I let Heather read her diary without a single protest, thinking that what Gwen had written was about me. I deserved the cold shoulder, and more. I really did.

I don't know how long I was sitting there in silence, but at one point Owen spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "Okay, fire's hot, fish are grilling, tent is tenting…"

"Nice going, man," I heard Trent say. "Fish looks awesome."

"Thanks man," Owen said, hunched over the fish. "I owe it all to my grandpa."

"So, you and your grandpa really fought a bear once?"

Truthfully, I was curious about that, too. Luckily (for most of us), Owen gladly told us an "epic" tale of how he and his grandpa, against insurmountable odds, had taken down a ten-foot-tall bear. It was quite an interesting tale, actually, though I wasn't sure if it was really true or not, especially after he said they had marked themselves with the bear's blood to honor it.

After Owen's story, I was half-expecting Izzy to tell her own equally "epic" tale, but… wait… she wasn't here… strange…

I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Hey, has anyone seen Crazy Girl?"

"I think she had to pee."

"That was over an hour ago!"

…What?!

Oh, no…

"Izzy! Izzy!"

"IZZY THE GOPHER, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

A bush rustled in the distance, and Owen sighed, walking over to it. "Good. We thought we lost you for a minute, man – GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA!!!"

At that moment, a bear shot up behind a bush…

…and I pissed my pants…


	14. Treed 'Til the Mornin' Come

**To those of you who like this fanfiction, thank you. Though the fic is far from over, I'm actually having a lot of fun writing this, and it even gives me an excuse to watch Total Drama Island over and over and over and over and over again. That being said, another thanks goes to YouTube.**

**Also, once again I'd like to point out that I'm trying to stay true to the Canadian version, and being from the United States there may be some dubs I've missed, so once again if I do miss any, please tell me, preferably by review because I don't read my e-mail very often.**

**The title of this chapter comes from Blake Shelton's "Ol' Red."**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirteen: Treed 'til the Mornin' Come**_

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!"

We were all standing and shaking in fear as the bear eyed us. Owen, still screaming at the top of his lungs, was now running laps around us, but I had barely paid attention until he tripped and crashed into the ground.

Heather shouted for us to go up in the trees. None of us questioned her – we were too afraid.

We found a large tree that seemed like it could hold all of us. Owen frantically zoomed up the tree, surprising all of us with his sudden speed.

The others soon followed. Trent and Heather were already on one of the lower branches when Trent extended a hand out for Gwen. Gwen tried to reach it, but failed. "I can't reach!"

I wasn't sure if Gwen couldn't climb the tree herself, or if she was so afraid she forgot how to, but only one thing was on my mind: get Gwen in the frickin' tree.

"Forgive me," I said quickly as I grabbed her from below and tried to help push her up. Now, please don't get me wrong, but I had a hard time doing so. No, she's obviously not… you know… I'm just scrawny.

But… and it's weird… whenever I'm, or if someone else is for that matter, in mortal danger, I tend to get much stronger if need be. Maybe it's my survival instincts. Or maybe it's hidden potential. I don't know. All I know is that I heard a loud growl, and I suddenly was able to hold her up high enough for her to reach Trent's hand.

Despite how I made it sound, this last part took only about three to four seconds. But I will admit (and this is probably because of where my hands were) it felt like an eternity.

_**Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr**_

EEP! I zoomed up the tree, even passing Owen, who was holding onto the tree in terror.

The bear circled around the tree, growling at us. But it couldn't get us – we were just high enough out of his reach.

I heard a sigh of relief below me and to the right. Gwen. I honestly was even more happy that she got into the tree safely than myself.

She leaned up against… guess who. "Thanks, Trent…"

Ouch.

It was as if she wasn't even acknowledging the fact that I helped her up the tree.

That I probably saved her life.

Trent must've been thinking something similar, as he turned to look at me with a sad look in his eyes… or maybe pity. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or BS, especially since HE was the one with the girl leaning on him. "…Yeah…"

…Well, he could've said something…

I sighed inwardly. Once again, I'm thinking about me. Me, me, me, me, me. I just saved Gwen's life! I should be happy I did that, not expecting some thank-you kiss in return. I did it 'cause I loved her – 'cause I didn't want her to get hurt – not so she would be all over me and smother me with kisses… though that would be pretty awesome…

But no. I did it for her, not for me. So it doesn't matter that she doesn't acknowledge me… right?

…

Do I really have to convince myself of that?

God, I'm such a loser…

"Hey, Owen! What now?" I heard Heather shout, and I looked up, waiting for Owen's reply.

"How should _I_ know?"

"Dude, you said you killed a bear!" Leshawna said, and I recalled Owen's story.

"I was being theatrical!"

Ah, so it _was _a tall tale.

…

Oh, crap. We're dead…

"This is all your fault!" Heather scolded. "If you hadn't been growling like that, we never would've attracted him to our site!"

"Well, excuse me for living!" Owen sobbed before crying like a newborn baby and hitting his head repeatedly on the tree.

"Hey, hey, hey, ease up on the guy," I heard Trent say. "He _did_ bring us all that fish."

…Trent, why did you have to say that?

"HEY! LAY OFF OUR FISH!!"

"It's probably already eaten Izzy!" I heard someone shout, and my eyes widened. Oh, crap! We forgot about her!

"Then it shouldn't be hungry anymore."

My eyes widened even more as I looked down at Heather. Was she _serious?_

"What? This is survival of the fittest," she said, "justifying" her statement. "She should've just peed in her pants like Cody."

Oh, that hurt.

I hung my head in shame.

Man, if I didn't already feel like crap…

…

I suddenly heard a branch snap and a scream, and I opened my eyes, looking downward. HOLY CRAP!!

Leshawna had fallen from the tree.

In front of the bear.

Crap crap crap crap crap!

"Dear Abby, she's going to **die**!"

Leshawna screamed for help, and I could hear the others shouting. I closed my eyes… The bear was too close; I wouldn't have been able to do anything…

"Hey, are you okay?"

…

_Oh, you've got to be kidding…_

Oh, thank God my inner Noah heard it, too. At least I wasn't the only one…

…

I need help, don't I?

-X-

"Ugh…" I groaned as I sat by the tent again. This day just wasn't going well, was it?

"Tell me about it," I heard, and I looked up. Gwen, now sitting by the campfire, had her head turned toward me. "That tree was killing me…"

"Yeah…" I said, hiding my face, as I was blushing lightly. It was like she read my mind.

…

God, I hope she can't read my mind…

"Oh… Cody?"

"Hmm?"

"…Thanks."

…

Needless to say, I was shocked. In fact, I was so shocked I even forgot what I did. "…Um…what for?"

"Um… For helping me up the tree?"

"…Oh. Well, no need to thank me or anything. I just—"

"'No need to thank you'?" She spun herself around to face me, probably so her neck muscles wouldn't be strained. "Cody, you saved my life!"

"From Izzy."

"…Yeah… But we didn't know it then." She paused for a few seconds, looking down at the ground. Then she looked back up at me. "Sorry I didn't thank you earlier. It's hard to think clearly when a bear is attacking you. …I'm glad you were able to," she added with a smile.

"Uh… Yeah, but really, if it wasn't for Trent, we would've both been dead… you know, if it was a real bear," I said, not realizing how modest I was being in comparison to how I was thinking before.

"You know, there may possibly be such a thing as too much modesty, Cody," she said, turning back to the fire. "But still… thanks."

"…So…you're not mad that I had my hands on your—"

"_Thanks,_ Cody," she said, sounding more stern this time.

I mentally slapped myself in the forehead. Why was I so awkward around her?

Sighing, I kept watching her, but not in a "creepy stalker" way (though I'm not sure how it looked to anyone else). To me, she really was the closest thing to perfection that any girl could possibly get. She was amazing—still is—and I really wished she would give me a chance.

I still do.

But no. She doesn't love me… not in the way I love her, anyway. But I am lucky enough as it is, I guess… Hell, I was lucky then just by getting to meet her and see her.

Trent doesn't realize how lucky he is. He never had.

Gwen's beautiful voice suddenly snapped me from my thoughts… however, it sounded slightly different… like she was scared. "Uh… I don't know, Owen… This one looks kinda real."

Hmm? I looked up at Owen…

Oh crap…

I stood up as the others started backing up towards me. Owen, however, was still oblivious to the situation, even chuckling. "Come on, guys! They're just trying to see if they can punk us twice. This is _not_ a real bear, and I am going to prove it to you." He started tugging at the bear's head, and he ripped off a chunk of fur. "…Wow. That _does_ look kind of real…"

_**Grrrrrrooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr**_

I could feel a certain area of my clothing get wetter and wetter.

"…Yeah. That's a real bear."

And thus, we found ourselves in the tree _again_, surprisingly in the exact same places (Izzy found another tree to escape to, and I assume Lindsay and Beth made more room for Leshawna).

"Well, at least it can't get any worse," Owen said, chuckling lightly.

It started raining.

Oh, the irony.

(Even more ironic, after watching the reruns, I found out Courtney said something similar at what I assume was the same exact moment)

-X-

It was still raining two hours later. Luckily, the branches were wide enough so we didn't slip off. Some of us managed to fall asleep, while others remained awake (mainly to watch so the others didn't fall).

I probably would've slept, but I couldn't. The rain, the bear, the fear of falling, these things kept me awake.

I looked down from my high perch at Gwen, who was leaning against Trent, who was leaning against the tree. I smiled—this time, Gwen was able to climb up the tree just fine, and I was thankful that she was safe. Actually, I was thankful that everyone was safe. Even Heather.

I leaned up against the tree. I figured she was sleeping, so I didn't want to bother her. Right now, I just needed to get some sleep. It'd be hard, but I had to try…

-X-

It was still raining. The bear was circling the tree, eyes angry (specifically at the fat guy who ripped off his fur).

Owen was whimpering. "We're gonna die… we're gonna die… we're gonna die…"

I rolled my eyes. "Owen, you're not help—"

_**SNAP!**_

"EEEEEEEEEEK!"

_**BONK!**_

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!"

My eyes shot open. "What the…?" I looked down, and my pupils shrunk.

As Leshawna did before, the branch gave away under Owen, and he managed to knock Heather, Trent, and Gwen off their branch as well. All four fell to the ground.

My pupils had almost disappeared, but my eyes were as large as bowling balls. "GWEN!"

"Oh, shows how much we matter!" Heather shouted, but I was too busy panicking to retaliate. I saw the bear getting closer to the four.

I had to act fast.

I took a deep breath, swallowed, and jumped off the tree…

…onto the bear's back.

"CODY!" I heard Leshawna shout. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Protecting Gwen!" I shouted before I heard three people clear their throats. "…And Owen, Heather, and Trent…"

The bear suddenly bucked me off of him and I hit the ground… hard…

Ow…

"CODY!!!"

_Gwen!_

At first, I thought she was in danger when she shouted, but when I looked up…

…all I saw was a swipe of a paw…

-X-

"GAHH!!" I shouted, almost falling off the branch as I jolted.

"Cody, shut up!" I heard Heather say from below me. I looked down, spotting the others on the ground.

"Finally, he's awake!" I heard Gwen say. "C'mon, Cody! We're heading back."

I looked around the ground. The bear was gone. Sighing, I climbed down the tree. "Damn… that dream felt so real…"

"What dream?" I heard nearby. I turned to find Izzy, still wearing her bear suit.

"…I don't want to talk about it," I said, rubbing the back of my head. "I'm ready. Let's get back to camp."

-X-

"We're the first ones back!" I heard someone say as we made it back to the bonfire pit. I groaned, realizing the Killer Bass were already here.

"It ain't yo' fault." I felt a hand on my shoulder. "If it wasn't for that bear, you woulda gotten a good night sleep."

I smiled as I turned to my comforter. "Thanks, Leshawna."

"No problem, Short Stuff."

Suddenly, I was startled by two girls running past me: Katie and Sadie. They were quick to tell their team what had happened to them in the past day.

…Wait… What were the rules again?

Did the entire team need to be back or did just the first person of each team need to be back?

Courtney answered our question for us. We won.

…

Wait… We… We won!

"Alright, Killer Bass, one of your fishy butts is going home!" Chris said to the Bass before turning to us. "Gophers, you're going on an all-expense-paid trip to… the tuck shop!"

Yes! Finally! Good food!

-X-

"Yo, Codemeister! Start up that hot tub, my man!"

"My pleasure." After a night in a tree, a hot tub sounded like heaven.

After the water started to warm up, I hopped in. "Ah… This feels great."

"I bet it does, dude. But I hope you got cleaned up after last night."

I rolled my eyes. I knew he was referring to my pants-wetting. "Relax, Trent. Yes, I cleaned up."

"Just so you know, I'm not doing the laundry tonight."

"I don't blame you," I said, chuckling. "So… Gwen's not comin' to the hot tub party?"

"No, she said she'd rather draw. Apparently, it calms her down more than a hot tub would."

"Well, I beg to differ," I said, the water now up to my chin.

"Meh, she doesn't know what she's missing," Trent said as he got in the hot tub as well. "Most girls can't resist bein' in a hot tub with a couple of hunks like us, right Codester?"

"Well, I don't know about 'hunks'… Me, maybe, but you…" This earned me a light punch in the shoulder. I chuckled. "Just joking, man. But yeah… she's a unique one, isn't she?"

"She sure is."

Owen suddenly appeared, followed by Izzy and Heather. "Alright! Let's get this party started! WOO-HOO!!"

I smiled at the big guy before closing my eyes. Honestly, I wasn't all too interested in the party; I just wanted to relax. But at least there won't be a dull moment with Izzy and Owen around. And aside from the few times that Owen accidentally splashed water at my head, I was very relaxed.

…

You know, now that I think of it, I don't think Gwen ever used the hot tub.

Gwen _really_ didn't know what she was missing… It felt great…

-X-

I was the last one to leave the hot tub. It was already sunset when I did.

"Wow… I was in there a while…" Not that I was complaining. The party was… interesting. Owen kept barfing from all the chips he ate and how fast he ate them, but other than that, it was quite a day.

Much better than yesterday, that's for sure.

Interestingly enough, it was a day without Gwen (for the most part).

"Yo, Codester!"

Hmm? I turned to my right. "Oh, hey Chris. Just going to get some dry clothes."

"That's cool." He seemed like he had something on his mind. He did. "Say, Cody?"

"What?"

"You know you can use the Confession Can anytime you want, right? Like, even when you're not voting someone off."

"Oh, I know," I said. "I just don't have anything to say."

"Well, it's there if you need it," he said. "And if you don't want it to be televised, just say so and we'll consider not televising it."

"…Gee… Thanks."

"No problem. And usually I won't televise it anyway unless it's something juicy. Keep it boring, sappy, or irrelevant, and I probably won't air it."

"…Why are you telling me this?" Really, I had no idea what he was getting at.

"Well, I've already talked to Tyler, and I'm going to talk to a few more people. It's just… when you see the same people over and over, it gets a little… stale. And like I said: boring."

"Well… alright then."

"Cool. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a bonfire ceremony to start."

Oh, that's right! A Bass was going home tonight.

…Well, I suppose I could watch just this once.

But first: to change.

-X-

I can't say I was shocked about who was voted off, but what _did _shock me was the fact that the Wonder Twins were now separated.

And they were practically crying rivers.

I felt bad. I really did. I mean, I knew they'd have to be separated at some point anyway, but I didn't think it'd happen so soon. And I didn't think I'd be able to witness it.

Really, I didn't know Katie and Sadie all that well, but I still felt bad.

…Well, there's always the Confession Can.

-X-

**- CONFESSION CAM -**

_Alright, Chris. I'm finally using the Confession Can for something other than voting. You win. But you get to choose whether or not to air it. You probably won't._

_I didn't know Katie and Sadie that well, but I still feel bad for them. Sure, they seemed a little creepy to me at times, but really… don't you think the Bass should've sent someone to look for them? And wasn't anyone paying attention when they left the group?_

_Now, this may be because of all the times she's dissed me and my team, but I think Courtney deserves to leave. She's the supposed leader of the group, the Counselor-in-Training, and yet she couldn't keep track of two hyper girls? Did she even know they were missing?_

_One thing's for sure: I wouldn't want _her _to be _my _camp counselor._

…

_Well, now that I'm here… I might as well admit this, too…_

…

_I think… I think I'm in love with Gwen…_


	15. Nothing to Fear but EEK!

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fourteen: Nothing to Fear but… EEK!**_

I left the Confession Can, actually feeling better now that I got all that off my chest. But one thing's for sure… I was _really _hoping that Chris wouldn't air it.

I was heading for the cabin, but I stopped as I noticed that the Gophers were now leaving it, holding their noses. Owen was the last to leave, saying, "What? What did I do?"

Didn't take me long to figure it out.

"Well, what do we do now?" Trent asked, holding his shirt up to his nose.

I thought about Sadie, and how heartbroken she was. Maybe… maybe we could do something nice for her and her team.

"How about we hang out with the Bass?" I asked, gesturing toward the bonfire pit.

"…Huh?" I heard from Heather.

"Well, Katie and Sadie were split up," I explained to them. "You know how they took it when they were on separate teams… what do you think is going through Sadie's mind right now?"

"Do we want to know?" Gwen asked, and was elbowed by Leshawna.

"Cody's right," Trent said with a smile. "We had a crappy night last night, so they probably did too. Plus with the party and the invincibility… we can at least show some sportsmanship, right?"

Gwen thought for a moment, and nodded. "Alright."

Oh, sure… She agrees to it when _he _suggests it…

Beth suddenly spoke up. "I didn't eat thish yet," she said, holding up a plate with green gelatin on it. A gummy worm floated in the middle of it. "We can give thish to them."

"Aw…" Owen whined. "I wanted that …"

We made our way to the bonfire pit, where the Bass were doing their best to comfort Sadie.

"What do you guys want?" Courtney asked when she saw us. "Come by to rub it in?"

"We got some extra dessert after our tuck-shop party," Trent explained. "Thought you might want some."

"So what?" Courtney inquired. "You're just being… nice?"

Gwen decided to spill the beans. "Okay, Owen stank up our cabin, and we need some time to air out."

With that, Beth held the gelatin dessert out to Courtney, who quickly turned it down. "NO!" she squeaked. "I mean, no thanks. I'm good."

"What, are you on a diet or something?" I heard Duncan say.

"No! I just don't like green jelly, okay?"

Beth then tried to give the gelatin to DJ, who suddenly flipped out. "SNA-A-A-AKE!!" He slapped the plate towards us, as if he thought it was going to kill him.

Surprised by this, yet a little amused, I knelt down to the fallen dessert and picked up the "snake." "Chill, dude. It's just a gummy worm."

DJ sat down and explained. "Sorry, for trippin'. Snakes just freak me out."

"I feel you," Tyler said, putting a hand on his back. "Chickens give _me _the creeps, dude."

I was a little surprised by this, and I apparently wasn't the only one. "You're afraid of chickens?" I heard Gwen say.

Duncan was trying to hold back his chuckles. "Wow, that's… that's pretty lame, man."

"It'sh okay, DJ," Beth now spoke up. "The reashon I didn't want to eat that… wath 'cauthe of the gummy worm, too. It remindsh me of bugth. I hate them. They're sho annoying and buzzshy, and they keep flying around your head and are sho hard to catch thometimes. And thome of them thtink, too. And trusht me, I know thmellth."

Leshawna spoke up next. "Speakin' of creepy crawlies, I must admit… spiders creep me out… especially the big ones…"

"Ninjas," Harold said. "Nuff said."

"Well, Heather?" Gwen started with a smirk. "What's _your _fear?"

"…Why should I tell you?" Heather snobbishly said back.

"I'll tell you _my _greatest fear…" Gwen said, obviously trying to get Heather to speak.

"…Alright. Sumo wrestlers. There. Now you have to say yours, too, Gwen."

She seemed to be thinking for a moment, and I waited for her response. Honestly, I really did want to know her fear. I figured that way, if push comes to shove, I could protect her from it. "Hmm… what's my worst fear? I guess… being buried alive."

…Wow. That _is_ pretty scary…

"Walking through a minefield… in heels…" Lindsay said next. Owen and Izzy followed with their own personal fear of flying. Geoff mentioned hail, Bridgette mentioned being alone in the woods, and Sadie mentioned bad haircuts… which caused Lindsay to change her answer.

Everyone turned to me. "What about you, Cody?" Owen asked.

"Yeah, what's the 'Codemeister' afraid of?" Gwen teased.

I tapped my chin and thought for a moment. Really, a couple things came to mind, but one seemed to stand out for me, so I said it. "Having to defuse a time bomb under pressure."

"Oh, only 'under pressure', huh?" Trent joked. "So if you weren't under pressure you'd have no problem?"

"It probably wouldn't be a bomb then," I added.

"…True."

I then turned to the Bass. Hmm… If she's so smart… I turned to Courtney. "What about you, Ms. CIT?"

Duncan chuckled as a confident smirk appeared on Courtney's face. "I'm not really afraid of anything."

"Baloney!" Duncan coughed, and Courtney turned to him with narrow eyes.

"Oh, really! Well, what exactly is _**your**_ phobia, Mr. Know-It-All?"

Duncan's expression suddenly fell to a scared one as the rest of us waited intently to hear his response. Reluctantly, yet quickly, he answered: "C-Celine Dion music store standees…"

Heh heh… What? Did I hear that right?

"Ex-squeeze me?" I asked, putting a hand to my ear. "I didn't quite get that."

"Dude," Trent added, "did you just say 'Celine Dion music store standees?'"

Duncan hid his face in his hands.

"Ooh! I love Celine Dion!" Lindsay exclaimed before her confused expression came back. "What's a standee?"

Trent explained to Lindsay what a standee is, and Duncan tried desperately to get everyone off the subject. He got Trent to say his worst fear (mimes), which led us to the last person to state her fear.

Unfortunately, Courtney refused to be an open book.

-X-

"That was lame," Trent said when we were finally able to get back into the cabin.

"I know," I concurred, knowing he was referring to Courtney. "I mean, everyone else said what they were afraid of."

"Maybe she's afraid of success," Trent joked.

I chuckled, laying down on the bottom bunk. "Yeah. Maybe."

Trent climbed up to the top bunk. "Goodnight, guys. Oh, and Owen?"

"Yeah?" I heard from the other side of the room.

"No farting."

-X-

The next morning, we were all in the lodge, eating… "breakfast." Yeah, you get it by now, I'm sure.

Chris whistled at us, getting our attention. "Campers! Your next challenge is a little game I like to call… 'Phobia Factor!'"

…What?! We just had a challenge!

…I hope he doesn't make a habit of this…

"Prepare to face your worst fear! Now, for our first victims…" He pulled out a card and read it, grinning evilly. "Heather! Meet us all in the theater. It's… SUMO TIME!"

Heather, who had been drinking coffee, just spit it at Trent's face. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Gwen," Chris continued. "You. Me. The beach. A few tons of sand…"

…Oh, crap…

Realization hit us all like a shot.

Oh, man… what did I say my biggest fear was?

…

…

…

…I'm screwed…

-X-

Beth looked absolutely nervous as Chris led us all to a large pool filled with insects and worms.

"Good luck, Beth," I said, patting her shoulder before going by the others.

She looked into the pool. Surprising us all, she fearlessly hopped in the pool and surfaced, insects all over her. Cheers erupted from our side of the pool.

After she left the pool, I high-fived her. "Awesome job, Beth!"

She grinned at me. "Thankth, Cody. I owe it all to you for believing in me."

I flushed a little. "Uh… Just trying to help, Beth."

"Shtill, thankth," she said, and I watched her as she left to get cleaned up.

I suddenly heard an all-too-familiar chuckle behind me. Owen (who had fainted twice in the past five minutes and yet somehow revived rather quickly both times) was now patting my shoulder, bouncing his eyebrows up and down suggestively. "Cody, my man, I didn't know you and Beth…"

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "No, she's just a good friend."

"Riiiiiiiiiight," Owen smirked at me.

"Seriously. I like… someone else…"

Crap.

Eh, well it wasn't like it wasn't obvious, but Owen must not have noticed. "Ooh! Then who do you like, Cody? C'mon, you can tell your big ol' buddy Owen."

"He likes Noah," I heard from behind me, and I turned to find Izzy standing around, whistling nonchalantly.

I turned back to Owen, who seemed quite surprised. "Eh… well… that's cool, man. I mean, sometimes dudes like dudes. Not that I like dudes. 'Cause I don't. I mean, just because I said Justin was hot… I mean, everyone thinks so, right? …Right? …Right? …Right? …Ri—"

"I don't like Noah."

"…Oh."

"…Well, not that way, anyway."

"…Huh… So… who do you like then?"

I was hesitant, but after a few seconds, I conceded. "Gwen."

After a few seconds of silence, Owen gasped. "Dude… Awesome!" He held out a hand to high-five me, but I refused. "Oh, come on, Cody. Loosen up."

I sighed as I tried to find the right words. "Sorry, it's just… I like her… maybe even love her… but she likes Trent. What should I do?"

Owen shrugged. "I dunno. Do whatever." After a few seconds of silence, his face brightened, and he gave me a wicked grin. "I just thought of something. Cody!"

"…Hmm?"

"You know how much I hate dish duty, right?"

"…Yeah… I don't like it either, but whatever…"

"Alright. So, tell you what: I'll do _your_ dish duty if… if you get something from Gwen."

"What, like a kiss?" I asked, not sure what he was getting at.

"…Nah, I don't think that's worth dish duty. You gotta do something that could result in possible death."

"…Kissing Gwen wouldn't cause me death?" I asked, knowing how her temper could get. Heck, Trent would probably kill me, too.

He knelt down and whispered into my ear, "Get… a bra…"

…

"Pfft! What?" I asked, practically laughing. Luckily, no one was around at the moment. Everyone had taken five while Chef went to get something for Leshawna's challenge and Chris went to get the wigs for Lindsay and Sadie.

"You heard me."

My smile dropped into a frown when I realized he was serious. "Dude… How the hell do I do that? I can't just ask her, can I?"

"Well, you can always do a panty raid."

"And end up dead."

"Hey, I don't care how you do it. Just do it, and I'll do the dishes. Deal?"

I scratched the back of my neck. Damn… It was definitely an impossible mission, and I wasn't sure if I could do it. Hell, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to.

Well, if I do get Gwen to fall for me, it may be easier to obtain than I currently think. It would just give me more incentive to get her to fall in love with me, though not the greatest incentive, of course.

"Alright… I'll do it…" I said, shaking his hand. Looking back, I must've forgotten how bad I felt whenever I acted like a creep around Gwen… 'cause now I was doing something a creep probably would do.

I just hope it's won't blow up in my face later on.

…

Oh, the irony in that statement…

-X-

A couple challenges (some already completed, others more long-term) were initiated before the moment many of us were horrified for.

I watched as Chris dug up the hole. A timer was strapped to a nearby rock. A glass coffin was next to the hole.

"Chris, I think you should reconsider," I said nervously, but Chris only chuckled.

"Sorry, Cody, but it's going to happen. Really, I would be more worried about my own challenge if I were you. Time bomb, remember?"

Right… How could I forget?

Chris instructed Gwen to lie in the glass coffin. She did so, and the coffin was moved into the hole. Chris started to fill the hole back up.

"Good luck, Gwen!" I shouted, hoping she could hear me. Trent knelt by the hole to give her some moral support. He gave her a walkie talkie before the window on the coffin was shut. Then, Chris finished filling the hole up.

Chris turned his attention to the others. "Alright, everyone but Trent go to the theater for DJ's challenge." He turned to me. "That includes you, Cody."

My eyes widened. "What? But… can't I stay here?"

"Nope," Chris answered. "You have to do your challenge yet."

"But… Trent has his yet, too."

"Yeah… but someone needs to stay behind to dig Gwen up." Ugh! Man, this guy was stubborn. Since when was Chris so freaking uptight?

"It's cool, dude. I got this," Trent assured me, and I admitted defeat.

"Alright." I followed Chris to the theater.

Ah well. Trent has it covered. I trust him.


	16. Blown Out of Proportion

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifteen: Blown Out of Proportion**_

"Hey, you can do this, buddy!"

…

"AHH! …It blinked!"

My eyes widened. How could someone so big and strong be afraid of the smallest snake in existence? I mean, there was no way in hell that thing was poisonous, I was sure.

I'm surprised that thing was even classified as a snake!

Though despite the fact that she was pretty much sharing the same thoughts I had on this, Courtney was starting to annoy me… a lot… She was so controlling! There's a thing called "positive peer pressure", the kind that Duncan showed just seconds ago. She doesn't have to yell at him like a drill sergeant.

DJ managed to conquer his fear, causing cheers from the Bass. I should probably be concerned for my own team – and I was – but I was still happy for the big guy for conquering his fear, no matter how sad the situation was.

"Alright," Chris said into his trademark megaphone, "now that DJ's done with his challenge, let's head back to the beach."

"It's been five minutes already?" I asked, surprised. It didn't feel that long.

"No… only a little over two and a half," Chris said, still in his megaphone. "But that's not why we're headin' that way."

Without another word, Chris led us toward the beach. We weren't even walking for ten seconds before we saw someone running our way, terrified.

…Trent?!

Sure enough, Trent was being chased past us by a mime.

"Just talk to him, bro," Chris said to Trent via megaphone, "and ask him to go away." He checked his watch. "Okay, we've got two minutes before Gwen's done. Cody, you're up."

…Oh, no…

-X-

As Chris and I walked through the woods toward the bomb site, I couldn't help but wonder who was going to dig up Gwen if Trent was being chased by the mime.

It wasn't long before my thoughts switched to the bomb. All it took was the sight of it.

Oh. My. God.

Several trash cans filled to the brim with garbage were rigged up with some sort of timed explosive mechanism. They sat in the middle of a clearing in the woods.

Why couldn't I have said my greatest fear was dating a hot supermodel? Or Gwen?

"Alright, Cody. This garbage bomb is going off in exactly ten minutes. Everything you need to know to diffuse it is on these schematic blueprints."

"What?!" I freaked, glancing back to the garbage bomb, panicking. "No way! I can't do this!"

"Then," he chuckled, "I suggest you find a safe place to hide, bra. Later, dude!" He started to run away.

What? "Wait… you're not gonna watch?"

"No way!" Chris shouted from afar. "That's a live bomb, dude!" He ran off, and I turned to the bomb.

Oh, I really wish I would've said dating Gwen was my biggest fear…

Well, I made my bed. Might as well sleep in it.

"Alright, let's see this…" I picked up the blueprints, and my brain went spinning. There was no way I was going to figure this out in ten minutes!

But I had to.

For my team.

I skimmed through the blueprints again. Okay… Let's see… You can do this, Cody… You can do this…

-X-

I CAN'T DO THIS!!!

I couldn't stop panicking. I couldn't make sense of the blueprints. Damn, I could barely keep my mind off Gwen for God's sake! Was she okay? Did she make it? Her five minutes had ended several minutes ago. Dang it, I keep getting sidetracked!

Cody! This is not the time to panic. This garbage bomb is going off in less than two minutes, and you're not even halfway through the instructions!

…

You know what, just run. Run. For the love of God, RUN!

…No! I can't run. It's for my team! If we lose this entire contest because of me, I'm history! I can't let the Gophers down. I can't let Gwen down. She didn't run from the hole when Chris was digging it. She didn't run when she was told to lie in that glass coffin.

I had to do this. I wasn't going to run…

-X-

…

…

…

…Oh, shi—

**BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHH!!!**

Ugh… oops…

I could hardly see. I could hardly hear. I could barely feel the garbage that now surrounded my entire body, aside from the Kleenex box around my foot. Hell, I was surprised I was even standing.

As I slowly limped forward, there was only one thing on my mind.

Help.

"Is anyone here?" I weakly shouted. No answer. I kept walking. "…Girls? Ladies? ANYONE?!" Still no answer.

Someone please help me…

Man, how am I even standing?

…Ugh…

I continued to shout out for help. "Chris?" Oh, right… like he cared… "Gwen?" Even if she didn't like me, I'm sure she would've helped if she could hear me. "Owen?" Now I knew Owen would help if he could hear me. He must not have. This wasn't working. My voice was starting to hurt from all the shouting. I just decided to keep walking (as long as I could), hoping I could find some help.

…

Hey… Who's th…?

B…Brid…Bridgette?

Sure, she was on the other team, but she seemed nice… Maybe she'll help…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Wait! Bridge…

_**Thud!**_

Ow…

-X-

I must've blacked out after I tripped over that log, because the next thing I knew I felt something wet get dumped on my face.

"Gah!" I yelled, sitting up. I looked around, realizing I was in the medical tent. Chef had several buckets nearby, some filled with water, others empty. I also noticed that my body was soaked, and I put two and two together.

"Crybaby," Chef merely said as he left the tent. "He's fine, Chris."

Suddenly, Chris entered in, followed by Owen, Izzy, Trent, Gwen, Leshawna, Beth, and… Bridgette?

"Dude! You're okay!" Owen shouted happily. "Awesome! Now you can tell people you survived getting blown up!"

"Ooh! I survived getting blown up once!" Izzy exclaimed, causing a small smile to form on my face. Hey, how can you be in a bad mood with Izzy around? …You know, when she's not making claims about your sexual preference. "It was awesome! It was all, PSSSHHHHH!! and BOOOOOOOOOOOM!! and PALKJFDLFJSJFKLDAJFL!!"

When Izzy was finally done with her rambling, Bridgette walked up to my bed. "Sorry, Cody. You scared the crap out of me."

"…I understand," I replied weakly. "I probably looked like trash… literally."

"You shouldn't be sorry, Bridgette," I heard from Trent. "If you hadn't run to Chris screaming about some monster in the forest, Cody'd probably still be out there."

"Oh…" I gasped, mostly from the fact that I was still trying to catch my bearings, but I was still thankful for her help, albeit accidental. "Thanks, Bridge…"

Bridgette simply smiled back.

"Alright," Chris said, ultimately breaking the mood. "Cody, Chef got you cleaned up a little bit, but you probably should take a quick shower before you rejoin the party. Can you walk on your own?"

"Hmm… Let's see." I slowly moved my way over to the side of the bed and stood up. I started walking a little bit. It hurt to walk too fast, but I was glad I was still able to move.

"Alright, I'll escort you to the washrooms," Chris told me before turning to the others in the tent. "As for the rest of you, head over to the cabin area. Tyler's challenge will be starting in ten."

After the others left the tent, Chris walked with me over to the communal washrooms. I was actually glad he did; I had a question to ask him.

"Chris, did Gwen complete her challenge?"

"Yeah," he said with a smirk. "And then some."

"… 'And then some'?"

"…Well, we kinda forgot about her…"

I stopped in my tracks, causing Chris to stop as well. "You _forgot _her?"

"…Yeah, why?"

I gave him a hard glare. "You left Gwen _buried alive_?"

"Chill, dude. At least we remembered eventually." How could he be so nonchalant about all this?

"How long was she in there?" I asked. No, demanded.

"Um… Let's see… Your garbage bomb blew up when we were digging her up…"

"What?!" I shouted.

"Dude, you need to chill…"

"Dude, that was…" I paused to do the math in my head, "…THIRTEEN AND A HALF MINUTES!!"

"DUDE! RELAX! She's fine! You saw her in the tent. She's alive. God, you kids and your hysteria…" He shook his head as he opened the washroom door for me.

I shot him a death glare as I walked inside. Was this guy for real?

-X-

It was now time for what we assumed was the last challenge of the day: Tyler's. His mission was to get into a pen with a hen and her chicks for three minutes.

He failed. Miserably.

Courtney scowled. "Tyler, it's the last challenge. Quit being such a girl!" Wait, wasn't it comments like that that got Ezekiel kicked off? And weren't most of the campers that completed their challenges girls (Chris filled me in on who completed their challenges)? "You have to do this or we're going to lose!"

Alright, time to put Ms. CIT in her place. I pulled out my trusty calculator and tallied up the scores. "Actually, if you do the math, you can't possibly win. The score's 7-3."

"Not necessarily," Chris responded. Oh, great… What twist was Mr. Genius going to pull now? "We've got one more challenge set up."

"Who?" Courtney asked almost defensively, at least from what I could tell. "It can't be me. But I didn't…"

"You didn't have to," Chris said with a know-it-all-like grin. "We're _always_ watching you and your reactions."

I wasn't sure what Chris was getting at, and I wasn't sure if anyone else knew either, but Courtney actually seemed quite nervous, even stating that it wasn't going to matter anyway if she did the challenge or not.

"Let's make it interesting, then." Chris's smirk was becoming even more and more devilish. "I'll give you triple points… if you can complete it."

Hmm… That means if Courtney completes it, it'll be… 9-7, Bass.

Uh-oh… I hope it's something completely horrifying…

-X-

A pool of green gelatin?

…We're screwed…

…

Wait… Courtney's afraid of green jelly?

…

Heh heh heh heh heh…

Chris walked up to the CIT. "You can face your fear and dive straight into this pool of jelly, or let your team lose yet another challenge."

With a sigh, Courtney made her way to the ladder. "This is insane!" she said, probably trying to get a cop-out (hey, it's the politician's method). "I could seriously die doing this."

…_Really?_

Oh, no… you can't possibly die from being blown up by a time bomb, or by being buried alive, or by being attacked by ninjas, or by flying in a plane piloted by Stewardess Chef.

Was she for real?

"Oh, that is so cruel!" I heard the lovely voice of Gwen say beside me as I watched Courtney climb the ladder. "It's probably warm by now. Warm, green jelly. Snotty, bouncy… UGH!"

Heh heh… Go, Gwen!

I'm not sure if it was the taunting or if she was truly scared, but something worked, and Courtney found herself climbing back down the ladder in defeat.

Once again, the Gophers tasted victory.

And it tasted sweet… like green gelatin.


	17. I Bet This Won't End Well

**Another undetermined period of time, another chapter. Also, if you're wondering where Cody's confessionals are, I just assumed they were said after the challenge, much like in Paintball Deer Hunter.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Sixteen: I Bet This Won't End Well**_

Our prayers had been answered the following day: Chris finally gave us a break with the challenges. I sighed ecstatically; many of us felt overworked, including myself.

As I carried my tray to the Gophers' table, I couldn't help but take a glance at Courtney. Honestly, I was surprised she was still in the contest. Either she's really cunning, or she's really lucky. And judging by my assumption that Ezekiel's faux pas, Tyler's extreme chicken phobia, and Harold's mad skills were the only things keeping her in the contest so far, I was willing to bet money on the latter.

I sat at the table, between Owen and Izzy and across from Gwen, Trent, and Leshawna. Owen was the first to greet me as I sat down. "Hey there, Mr. Bomb-Explosion-Survivor-Guy!" He jabbed me in the shoulder, probably harder than he meant to.

"Ow! Uh… Hey, big guy. Congrats on beating _your_ fear." I turned to the rest of them. "Same to the rest of you guys."

"Thanks," Trent said, smiling. Gwen, however, continued to silently stare at her "breakfast."

"I didn't beat mine," Leshawna said, frowning. Then, her expression flipped and she smiled at me. "But it don't matter. We won anyway."

"Yeppers! We rocked that challenge! We got dat BOOM BOOM POW!!" Izzy shouted unexpectedly. I heard ringing in my ears for a few seconds.

When the ringing stopped, I shook my head slowly and turned to Gwen. "So, Gwen… Thirteen minutes. Pretty darn good. I don't think I'd have been able to… do…" I trailed off as she looked up to glare daggers at me. She obviously wasn't in the mood to talk about someone leaving her six feet under… literally.

"…Maybe you should wait 'til later, Short Stuff," Leshawna said to me, breaking the silence. "She's still a little peeved about it."

"Right," I said quickly. Another awkward silence followed. Thankfully, Owen broke it.

I wasn't thanking him for very long, though…

"So, Cody… How's that bet comin' along?"

"Bet? What…?" My eyes suddenly widened, and I glared at him. "Dude! Not now!"

"…So, I'm guessing you didn't get it yet?"

"No, I didn't…" I paused, now realizing that the others were staring at us. I started to whisper. "Dude… Later. When no one is around. Please."

He shrugged. "Fine by me."

I mentally slapped myself in the forehead. This guy really was clueless, wasn't he?

…

Maybe I shouldn't talk…

-X-

"Owen! Jesus Christ, what's the matter with you?!" I found myself shouting. I had asked—no, commanded Owen to stay behind with me after the group left. Not that _I_ had a choice anyway; I had dish duty right now.

Still, I wanted to make sure we were on the same wavelength.

"What do you mean?" he asked, still oblivious to the situation.

I rolled my eyes. "Look, the only reason I'm taking this stupid bet is so I won't have to do… _this_ anymore." I looked down at the dishes and shook my head. "The last thing I need is for you to blab about it in front of everyone."

"But… wouldn't it be easier to get her bra if she knew about the bet?" Owen asked.

"No. In fact, she'll probably start guarding it," I pointed out.

Owen chuckled. "C'mon, man! You need to loosen up. Go with the flow. I mean, it's not like you have anything to lose, right?"

"My genitals?"

"…I thought you were supposed to be the positive one."

"I _am_, but I'm also _not_ an idiot." I sighed, staring down at the dirty dishes in the sink. There was no way I was going to pull this off…

Owen tapped his chin. "Well… think of it this way. It'd be like… a souvenir. Something to remember Gwen by, you know?"

I was about to object, but I stopped myself. I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking but… but that's… actually what warmed me up to the idea. "Something to remember Gwen by." In case I didn't get the girl.

I turned back to Owen and smiled. "Okay, I'll do it."

The big guy laughed heartily and patted me on the back. "Alright, but since you're so eager, how about a deadline? Sometime next week?"

"You're on."

-X-

The next couple days didn't work out so well for our little… bet. I had yet to find a good opportunity to attain the virtually unattainable. And I didn't feel right with actually _stealing_ a bra. I'd rather try to stay on Gwen's good side than get horribly maimed.

I had no such luck. I just couldn't find the right opportunity.

But for some reason, at no point during these three days did I realize exactly what the hell I was really doing. I don't know why I hadn't, but I wouldn't find out exactly how bad I freaking messed up until after the fact.

…I'm getting a little ahead of myself, and I apologize… not that it really matters, since nothing much really happened over those three days. I ended up spending most of my time chatting with Owen, Beth, and sometimes even Harold whenever we crossed paths.

…My thoughts on Harold? Hmm… Well, he's a pretty cool guy… in my book, anyway. Sure, he's a little strange, but hey… aren't we all?

I remember asking him about Gwen on one of those days… what he thought about her. At first, I was actually expecting something negative, considering the fact that a) she was on another team, b) she hadn't exactly shown him any sort of respect whatsoever—though I guess I can't really say anything there—and c) she had separated him forever from his beloved red ant farm for her own personal gain. So it came to a surprise to me that the first words out of his mouth were "She's alright." He even stated that his red ant farm was actually "put to good use" and had "fulfilled its purpose here on this earth."

…Like I said… "strange." But then again so are the rest of us.

-X-

Challenge day again. Personally, I felt that this challenge could not possibly be any worse than the last one.

Well… we'll see, won't we?

Chris told us to come to the beach after breakfast, and I was one of the last ones to reach the destination. I looked at the line of campers standing in front of Chris and spotted a space between Gwen and Trent at the end of the line that I could easily slip into, and I made use of the opportunity. I wasn't sure exactly why I wasn't mauled after I did so, but I assumed that maybe Gwen was still a little upset at Trent about being left buried in this very beach.

Chris began to inform us of the challenge: a canoe trip to some creepy island. We had to row our canoes to the island, portage them to the other side, create a bonfire, and be the first ones back… which seemed to defeat the purpose of the bonfire segment in my opinion.

But before we could begin the challenge, Chris gave us one hell of a warning: "Legend has it if you take anything off the island, you'll be cursed foreveeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr…"

C-c-curse?!

…

Pfft! Yeah, right! There's no such things as curses…

…

…Right?

Well, whether they existed or not, Owen seemed quite enthusiastic about the idea of being cursed.

"Now, get in your canoes and let's have some fun!" Chris exclaimed, leaving us in a strangely content mood—not too thrilled, but not too upset.

As we made our way to the beach, I quickly headed over to Gwen on the steps. "C'mon, Gwen! You and me, open water, what do you say?"

I quickly found myself in a very painful armbar lock.

Soon after, I heard a sigh, and Gwen conceded. "Fine. But _I'm_ in charge."

I grinned, though still holding my sore shoulder. "That's the way I like it."

I followed her to our canoe, and I quickly offered to pull it into the water.

"…You sure?"

"Oh, absolutely!"

"…Okay…" She sat inside the canoe, and I rolled my shoulders a little before pulling on the canoe.

It didn't budge.

Ugh! Come on! Uuuuuuuuuuugh! Uuuuuuuuuuugh! Ugh!

I looked up at Gwen, who actually looked quite concerned… or possibly bored. "It's okay," I assured. "I got it." Uuuuuuuugh! Pant… pant…

"Do you want my help?"

I was starting to get a little nervous. I didn't want to look dweebish in front of Gwen. "Nah, no…" HuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuughhhhAAAH!!! Splash.

…Great…

"Alright, I'm coming out."

"No, no, no. I got it," I said, still wanting to… "prove myself", I guess.

Uuuuuuuuuuuuugggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Splash.

"…Okay, you can help…"

**-X-**

**A shorter chapter than most, but still pretty long compared to the length of the chapters for most of my fics. I had decided to cut it here since I didn't want to stop in the middle of the canoe scene.**

**And yes, I know I rip on Courtney a lot throughout this fic. But hey, look at all the fics on this site where the authors practically worship the ground she walks on. **_**Someone**_** has to go the other direction. XD**


	18. Like a Ton of Bricks

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Seventeen: Like a Ton of Bricks**_

We were all lined up, waiting to start the canoe race.

"On your marks!" Chris shouted. "Get set! Paddle!" He shot his gun in the air, and we rowed off.

The canoe ride was quite boring for the first minute, as neither of us said anything. But I knew that if there was any chance of me hooking up with Gwen, I'd have to ask her here and now.

So, I broke the silence.

"So… you wanna go out sometime?"

"No."

…Not the answer I was hoping to hear…

But I kept trying.

"How about Friday night?"

"Ah… no."

…Okay…

"Saturday's good for me," I tried again. "How about Saturday?"

"I'm _not_ going out with you… EVER."

"Okay, okay!" I said defensively, holding my heads up in front of me. "Fine… Sheesh…" Darn… this was going to be difficult.

…

"So… is Sunday out of the question?"

**WHACK!**

AGH!!!

That… hurt…

"Got it…" I fell over in the canoe, holding my groin in pain.

"Oh, suck it up… I can't paddle this thing by myself."

"Right, right…" I slowly got back up to a seated position and grabbed my oar again. "Sorry…"

We rowed in silence for a while, and I took the time to think about all of this. I was quite happy that, due to how we were seated in the canoe, I could stare at Gwen as much as I want, but unfortunately it was from the back. And the more that I thought about it, the more I realized that that's the way it had always been, since the beginning of this contest. I couldn't stare at her dead on—she'd get freaked out and leave me. I could only stare at her from the back, and I didn't like it. You can't see her eyes from the back, or her upturned nose, or her blue lips, her seldom faint blush. She was prettier from the front, no doubt about it.

Trent… Only he had that privilege, and I began to realize that as we rowed. He was the only guy I've seen her talk to for hours on end—the only one she _wanted_ to talk to. And as much as I hated to say it, I couldn't deny the fact that it was true.

She didn't like me.

She liked Trent.

It took several minutes for me to accept that. As much as I loved being around her, and as much as I wanted to be with her, I had to face the facts that her heart was for another. She's the fishing rod, and Trent's the catch of the day. And what am I? The little guppy that gets thrown back.

There was no denying it anymore, and now… the only thing I could hope for, at least for this part of our lives (as the future is never set in stone) is to be her friend. And a damn good one (I hope) at that.

I realized at that moment that she was still mad about earlier. At this rate, that hope for friendship will be for naught.

No… Not if I can help it…

There's gotta be something I can do…

…

…Maybe there is…

"I think I know why you keep shooting me down," I finally spoke up, surprising even myself. She didn't seem interested at all that I was talking, so I continued. "It's because of Trent, isn't it?"

Her sudden jolt confirmed to me that I now had her attention.

"Look, I'm pretty tight with Trent," I continued, smiling, "and I was definitely sensing an 'I'm into Gwen' vibe from him."

She gave me a wary look.

"I'll put in a good word for you… you know, if you want," I concluded.

To my surprise, she smiled at me. She _smiled_ at me! I could feel my heart fluttering.

"Wow… that's really cool of you," she said, and my grin widened. She called me cool! I couldn't believe it… I mean, sure, she wasn't into me, but… these little comments from her made me feel like I was floating.

In order to keep my cool and try not to mess anything up, I shrugged and kept my response as short as possible: "Eh, well…"

"If you can get us in the same boat on the way home, I'll _so_ owe you one," she added.

…

Wait…

I thought about the bet. This was my chance! Well, it was probably the best chance I was going to get, anyway…

"Interesting that you would say that," I began, trying to start off casually. I didn't want to be blatant about this. "See, I'm in a bit of trouble myself…"

"…What do you mean?"

"Well… I kinda bet Owen that if I got your bra, he'd do all my dishes for the rest of the competition."

**WHACK!**

AGH!!! OHH!!!

Crap… I knew I'd lose my genitals over this…

"Heh… Right. Asking too much. Got it." Crap crap crap crap CRAP! There goes any chance of friendship, Cody…

And why the hell do I always get hit in the testicles?!

…

Wait…

Something didn't seem right at that moment.

There was… mist surrounding us…

I looked around. The mist was everywhere.

"Hey…" I spoke up again. "Was that there earlier?"

Gwen started looking around too. "I don't think so…"

Alright… this is getting a little freaky…

Gwen and I stayed silent as we, along with the other canoes, reached the beach of Boney Island.

Izzy was the first one to leave the canoes, commenting about the skull shape on one of the cliffs.

Gwen shared a glance with me, and we quickly hopped out of the canoe. "Let's just get this over with," I heard her say after we lifted the canoe over our heads, and we started our portage.

Now, normally I'd probably find Gwen being freaked out by a haunted island to be quite amusing, as I thought it'd be up her alley… but at that moment, I was actually quite concerned. If _she_ was freaked out about this, that didn't sound good for the rest of us.

As we ran all ran through the woods, I couldn't help but notice the skulls on the poles.

"C-C-Cannibals?" I managed to stutter. The uneasy feeling in my stomach continued to grow.

This… actually _was_ starting to be worse than the phobia challenge…

**THUD!!!**

HOLY CRAP!!!

A huge frickin' tree had fallen RIGHT in front of us!

A huge frickin' tree almost CRUSHED us!!

_Boy, am I glad I'm not in this contest anymore…_

Oh, shut the hell up!

Suddenly, I caught something in my peripheral vision. My legs began to shake. "I think I saw something…" I turned toward the bushes… which were rustling.

…

What the fu—?

Oh… crap…

"MONSTER BEAVERS!!!"

And then we all lived happily ever aft—nah, we ran for our frickin' lives, screaming at the tops of our lungs.

Yep… this _is_ worse than the phobia challenge…

After we ran for what felt like kilometers, I felt something wet, and we suddenly stopped. I looked around. We seemed to be in a bog, and we were now cornered by a large cliff.

Well, that's just dandy…

But suddenly, to our surprise, the monster beavers ran off. Phew…

"Hey! They're leaving!" Trent exclaimed, pointing out the obvious.

"Did anybody pack a change of underwear?" Owen asked suddenly, and we all laughed. "No, seriously!" he added, before letting one rip. No one was laughing anymore.

Suddenly, I heard screeching. "What the heck?"

…

…Crap…

And we found ourselves running for our lives, screaming, again.

"Someone do something!" Gwen shouted, and suddenly a light bulb went off in my head.

_**FLASHBACK WITHIN A FLASHBACK!**_

_I woke up to the sound of Owen's snoring, and I rubbed my eyes. Chris's voice rang out on the loudspeaker soon after, saying today was challenge day yet again._

_I gasped. The week was halfway through, and I still hadn't completed the bet. But darn it… I just… couldn't find the right opportunity to ask…_

_Maybe if I could get her alone, and in a good mood…_

_But what could possibly get her in a good mood?_

…

_Good _food_, perhaps?_

…

_I grinned as I began to formulate a plan…_

_**END FLASHBACK WITHIN A FLASHBACK!**_

And so I raided Chef's fridge and stashed it in my pants so he wouldn't be the wiser. If there was anything that could ever put a girl in a good mood, it's a romantic picnic… especially after two to three weeks of eating slop.

But since I realized she didn't like me, it was pointless to keep the food anyway. And it may be the only thing we have to get rid of the… what the hell were they? Pterodactyls?

"Where_ did_ that come from?" Gwen asked after I pulled out a loaf of bread.

I explained to her about the picnic I planned.

"With _bread_ from your _pants_?!" she shouted, obviously freaked out by that fact, and I finally realized how messed up that actually was.

"Just throw it already!" I heard someone yell, and I threw it behind me. Luckily, the… pterodactyl-things took the bait.

Phew! We were finally out of danger…

…for now…

**-X-**

**Yes, this chapter was very episode-oriented, and the next one probably will be too. But *spoiler spoiler* there's a scene coming up in **_**maybe **_**the next chapter, but most likely the one after that, or possibly even the one after THAT depending on how long it takes for me to get to that point, involving Gwen and Cody that I hope will make up for what's probably a boring recap for many of you.**


	19. The Helper

_CODY: Irish surname transferred to unisex forename use, from a variant spelling of the surname Cuddihy (also spelled Cuddy), an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh "descendant of Cuidightheach," hence "helper."_

_~ 20000-names . com_

_Its source is an Irish Gaelic expression meaning "Helper."_

_~ babynamer . com / Cody_

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Eighteen: "The Helper"**_

"I can see the other team."

"They're taking the path on the right."

"So let's go left."

Quite frankly, I didn't quite get the logic here. Perhaps Trent was expecting it to be a shortcut?

At any rate, I don't think it really mattered which way we went. The chances of us getting lost and ultimately eaten were pretty dang huge either way.

As the forest began to seem less and less intimidating, we slowed down. Thank goodness—I was barely breathing back here! Huff huff…

Gwen and I had been walking for a few more meters in silence before I heard some commotion ahead of us. The rest of the Gophers seemed to stop in their tracks, and I knew something was up.

"Trent's stuck! I'm coming Trent!"

"No, don't!"

I looked past Gwen, just in time to see Lindsay jump into what appeared to be quicksand. I also noticed Trent was trapped in the muck as well.

At first glance, I thought they'd be okay. I didn't think that pit would be so deep.

Then they were suddenly up to their shoulders in quicksand.

…Uh-oh…

"Help!" Trent shouted, and I sprung into action. Gwen and I sat our canoe down and I ran as fast as I could toward the quicksand pit. I spotted a vine in a tree and quickly found myself bolting up to it.

"Help us!" Trent called again as I grabbed the vine, and without hesitation I swung down in a Tarzan-like fashion toward the hand sticking out from the quicksand.

And I missed it.

And for a brief second, the _George of the Jungle _theme played in my head right before I managed to find myself wrapped around a tree, writhing in agony.

"Ow…"

I slowly slid down the tree, receiving very slight scratches from tree bark, though nothing noticeable (well, at least my team didn't say anything about any scratches, but I could definitely feel them…). I somehow landed on my feet, surprising since saying I was "out of it" was quite an understatement. Still in quite a lot of pain, I slowly and unconsciously made my way toward the group, trying my hardest to walk around the quicksand. I was still quite dazed, so it was all pure luck that I hadn't fallen in.

Hell, I was so dazed that when I managed to walk up to Trent and Lindsay, I hadn't even questioned exactly how they escaped the sand pit.

"Whoa! Thanks, bro!" Trent held a hand out for me to low-five him, and I attempted to return it… but missed. He then put a hand on my shoulder. "You're a lifesaver."

This managed to snap me out of my daze. "…I am?"

Then, out of the blue, Lindsay ran up to me and enveloped me in a hug. "My hero!" I'm not going to lie—I really enjoyed that hug. Hey, what can I say? I'll take any hug from any hot girl anytime, even if she's not the brightest light in the chandelier.

Unfortunately, all good things in this world must come to an end, and she broke the embrace. "Where did you learn to do that?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, grinning sheepishly. "You know… I watch a lot of movies…"

"This is very touching, guys," I heard Gwen say from the other side of the quicksand pit, "but we've still got a challenge to win."

I frowned, hurt by her response to what I had just done. I just saved Trent and Lindsay's lives. I repeat—I just saved _Trent's _life. Did she really not like me _that _much to not show any kind of gratitude?

…

Darn it, Cody! Are you still dazed or something? Snap out of it! She's probably just stressed about all this. Her crush almost died!

I sighed, recalling a thought I had once before. If I keep thinking of myself over her like that, then I truly don't deserve her, no matter what I do for her.

And Trent…

…

I don't know why, but I couldn't add anything after that. After all, I don't know what he thinks. For all I know, he's as selfish as I had been.

But I doubt it.

-X-

We had reached the beach before the Bass, but the crafty Duncan with his trusty lighter managed to start his team's fire sooner than we were able to.

Honestly, I truly had no idea why this segment of the race was so vital. It didn't declare any winners (obviously, considering later events). What would we have to gain from it?

But we were to do as our self-proclaimed team leader Heather had told, and we went off to look for firewood.

…Well, most of us did, anyway.

The rest of us decided to take a little break, namely Trent and me.

I spotted Trent leaning against a large rock, and I casually made my way toward him. I tried my hardest to dismiss any thoughts of jealousy. I wanted to clear the air with him, yes, but more importantly I wanted to help Gwen out. I was going to fulfill my duty as a… friend… to help jumpstart their relationship.

After all, that's what Gwen wanted…

He smiled when he first spotted me. "Thanks for saving my butt, man."

I smiled back and pulled a can of soda out of my pants. "Just looking out for a fellow Gopher." I pulled the tab, and a little soda spurted out of it, obviously shaken up from all the running we did. I held the soda up to him, hoping a "peace offering" would help move things along smoothly. "Want a sip?"

Trent politely pushed the can away. "Nah, I'm good."

Meh. I shrugged it off. Hey, more for me, right?

But now on to more important matters.

"Trent, let's talk—_mano a mano_," I began.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

Though nervous about what I was about to say, I kept my smile. "Gwen. See, I hit on her," my smile disappeared as I felt a pinch in my chest, and I slumped, "but I struck out… a-a few times…" I was starting to think this wasn't such a good idea, especially considering how much it was now taking a toll on me, but the idea of Gwen being happy motivated me to continue. "The point is, she's not into me. She's into you."

EEP! Trent was now in my face, his intimidating glare staring straight into my soul. "If you're lying, I could easily rearrange your face. You know that, right?"

After I recovered from my shock, I smiled at him again. I understood why he was so hostile—I wouldn't want anyone to lie to me about someone I like liking me, especially if it's Gwen. "Dude, buddy! What do I have to gain from lying to you?"

He stared into my eyes for about another second, probably trying to read me, trying to find some fault in my words. Then his expression lighted again. "Okay. So what do you think I should do about it?"

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Well, I'll tell you, Trent. Here's how I'd play it…"

"Ladies," a stern voice scowled, breaking up our conversation. It was Heather. "Are you almost finished with your little tea party? We're in the middle of a challenge here!"

"Right, right," Trent said, and he followed her back to the others. He turned back to me for a second. "Talk to you later, Cody."

"Yeah," I replied, getting ready to rejoin the group. But first… **Sip. **…Ugh! Holy crap, this is warm!

-X-

The next couple minutes were quite interesting, to say the least. Harold, in a panic, had tossed his team's oars into their fire as firewood, and Izzy managed to nearly blow everyone up with a fire-starter made of tree sap. Chris had declared us the winner of the campfire building segment of the challenge, though we technically didn't really win anything, and so once again I ask why that part of the challenge even existed in the first place.

So now we had to make it back to the campsite in one piece. Luckily, because we had portage the canoes with us, we now could row home without having to go back through the damned island.

I looked at the canoes in front of us, then at Gwen (who looked absolutely _thrilled_ to be riding back with me… and yes, that's sarcasm).

I sighed. Well, let's get this over with.

I put on my usual cocky grin and got Trent's, Lindsay's, Beth's, and Gwen's attentions by addressing Trent and Lindsay about their near-death experience earlier. "Guys, since you're both a bit shaken by the whole quicksand thing, we should split you up. How about I go with Lindsay and Beth, and Gwen can paddle back with Trent," I proposed, using several hand gestures to illustrate my proposal.

"Sounds cool," Trent replied in agreement to my suggestion, and lead Gwen to their canoe.

As she passed me, Gwen flashed me a smile, and I then realized the importance of my action.

I didn't just help the two hook up.

I played a role in making Gwen happy.

And I also gained a really good friend in the process.

"C'mon, Cody." The sudden sound of my name being called broke me out of my thoughts. Beth and Lindsay were already pushing their canoes toward the water, and I gladly joined them, knowing that things were now looking up after all…

**-X-**

**Alright, so we're now nearing the end of Up the Creek, and you know what that means…**

…

**It means one more episode before… Oh wait… That's not good, is it? At least not for Cody.**

**But I'm sure you'll be happy to know that our little helper (who has truly and quite literally lived up to his name, hasn't he?) will still be on the island for a good… I don't know… two… maybe three chapters? Depending on how things work out?**

**That Gwen/Cody conversation is still being planned for the next chapter, but it really all depends on how long it takes for me to wrap up Up the Creek. But that shouldn't be a problem, I don't think.**

**Also, the links on top of the page don't actually have spaces (obviously), but they wouldn't show up in the story otherwise.**

**And finally, due to the new messaging feature here at FF, I guess if you want you can tell me of any "dubbing errors" in the fic via that.**


	20. All Bets Are Off

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Nineteen: All Bets Are Off**_

**- CONFESSION CAM –**

_Alright… where do I begin?_

_Well, today was kind of… interesting, to say the least._

…

…_Who am I kidding? It had to be one of the most life-changing days of my entire life!_

_It began with me raiding… uh, I mean… the challenge. It began with the challenge. (Wipes sweat off forehead) Dodged a bullet there._

_Anyway, it was a canoe trip to Boney Island. …Wait, is it spelled B-O-N-Y, or B-O-N-E-Y? I'm not sure, to be honest…_

_So anyway, Chris told us to pick a paddle partner. It was time for me to make my move. If I could just get Gwen alone for five minutes, I knew I could woo her with my manly charms. (Leans back confidently) And I did it. Or, at least I thought I did._

_Nonetheless, we were now in the canoe—together! I remember thinking, "Yes! Yes! It is _so_ on!" (Makes air guitar noises for a few minutes)_

…

_But that's not how it turned out._

_See, as it turns out, though you probably know this by now—I've seen her use this thing a lot—she likes Trent. And… well… I'm okay with it. I know that sounds weird, but I really am. …I think… But she's happy, and that's all that matters._

_So, when we were done with our little trip, I made an excuse so they could go back in the same canoe. And I don't know about you, but I think I made the right decision._

_And not just for Gwen, either. I gained one friendship, Gwen, and strengthened three others, Trent, Lindsay, and Beth. And the ride back with Lindsay and Beth was quite interesting to say the least. Though it was kinda hard for me to focus on rowing with Lindsay tanning in front of me…_

_But somehow we lost the race, and, judging from the scene Leshawna and Izzy made once we made it back to Wawanakwa, I'm assuming Izzy had somehow caused our team to lose._

_Which brings me to why I'm voting for who I'm voting for. Really, I have nothing against you, and really, you're a great person to have around… but if you're going to cost us challenges like that, I'm afraid I have no choice._

_Sorry, Izzy, but I'm voting for you._

-X-

Well, Izzy _was_ the next one to go, but not in the way any of us were expecting. Though it was quite amusing… well, to me, anyway… Everyone else was freaked out.

I'm not exactly sure why I was so nervous during that ceremony. Hell, I was holding my knees, rocking back and forth on my stump. Did I really think they'd vote me off? Why would they? I mean, I didn't do anything wrong, so why would I be worried?

And yet I was still nervous before, and quite relieved after I received the marshmallow. And I don't know why.

-X-

I never realized how empty the boys' side of the Gophers' cabin really was until Owen and I realized we were the only ones in it. Trent was with Gwen down at the dock, and so Owen and I had the cabins to ourselves.

Funny thing, though… I was still wondering what Gwen had been doing in our cabin after the challenge. See, when we were eating what I assumed was our supper and not something Chef scooped off the floor, Gwen snuck out and went to the cabin. I didn't think anything of it at first, but to my surprise as I left the lodge I spotted her leaving the boys' side.

Personally, I thought she was leaving something for Trent.

But when she saw me, she gave me a light smile and a wave, so I knew _something_ had to be amiss.

I still decided not to go straight to the cabin after that, as curious as I was. It probably was nothing anyway. Like I said, maybe she was leaving something for Trent.

So when I lay down on my pillow and realized something didn't feel right, I was pretty surprised.

I sat up and patted my pillow. Yeah, something was different, alright.

Then I spotted something hanging out from under it.

…No way. Nuh-uh. She wouldn't have…

I reached for the telltale object.

She did.

"Nice!" That got Owen's attention. He came over to see what was up, and he saw the object in question.

"Is that… a bra?" he asked, chuckling.

"You know it," I said in a cocky tone, recalling what the conditions were of our bet. "And you know what that means…" I gave him the bra so he could get a "closer inspection" of it. "Enjoy dish duty, my good man."

Owen continued to stare at the undergarment in awe. "You mean it belongs to…"

I took it from him triumphantly. "A gentleman never kisses and tells…"

-X-

"_And the last marshmallow goes to…"_

…

…

…

…

…

…

"…_Gwen."_

_Well, it's that dream again. I wonder how it's going to end this time._

_Hopefully it'll be better than the one after Noah left._

_I found myself at the dock, getting ready to leave on the Boat of Losers._

_Gwen was already waiting there._

…_That's…new… I mean, usually in these dreams I have to call for her._

"_Cody?" she spoke up, getting my full attention._

"_Yeah?"_

"…_Never mind. It's not important."_

_Now I was curious. "No, tell me. What?"_

_She rubbed the side of her neck as she continued, "Well, and I know this is going to sound weird, but…can I have that bra back?"_

…

_I began to chuckle. "What?"_

"_No, seriously. It's just… I mean, I know you're a nice guy, but I don't really like the idea of my undergarments being in the possession of some little perv… no offense. Besides, I thought you didn't really want it—that you just wanted it for the bet."_

_This caught me off-guard, and I found myself stuttering out my words. "W-Well, I just thought…" I stopped. I wanted to say that I wanted to keep it so I had something to remember her by, but the words she spoke were now floating in my brain. Even if for only the best of intentions I could ever possibly give, would I still come off as "some little perv" if I kept a girl's bra to keep her memory?_

-X-

"Hey, Cody! Wake up! It's time for breakfast!"

…Wha? …Oh… Owen…

Wait… my dream…

"Um… Go ahead without me, Owen," I told him. "I'll be right there."

Luckily, he listened to me. After he left, I made sure Trent wasn't in the cabin as well (he wasn't) and picked up my pillow to find the undergarment underneath it. I recalled the last few moments of my dream (for some reason I was getting better at doing that; normally I forget about my dreams after I wake up) and made a decision.

After breakfast, I was going to talk to Gwen about this.

Well, I didn't have to worry about THAT little detail, because after I put the bra in my pants POCKET and left the cabin, I ran into – guess who.

It's amazing how such ironies and clichés seem to happen to… well… all of us on this show.

"Hey, Cody," Gwen greeted, which took me by surprise at first before I remembered the day before. "Did Trent leave for the lodge yet?"

"I think so." I really had no idea, but then again where else could he have been?

"Well, then I guess I'll be going with you then," she responded. "Hope you don't mind."

Okay, now she's just teasing me.

…

Not that I didn't like it.

"I don't mind at all," I said, flashing my usual cocky smirk. She just rolled her eyes.

We took our first strides toward the lodge in silence, but I broke it, knowing that if there was any time of the day for me to do this, it was right now, because I was almost positive she'd be with Trent for the rest of the day. "Gwen?"

"Hmm?"

I stopped in my tracks, causing her to stop as well. She looked concerned, which led to some very conflicting thoughts in my mind. A part of me was happy about that, as it showed that she actually did care (to some extent, anyway) about me, while another part of me felt terrible that I caused her to worry.

But her concern turned to confusion when I took the bra out of my pocket. "Um… What's the matter? It didn't fit on your life-sized blow-up doll of me?"

"No…" I quickly answered before realizing the many ways she could use that "no" out of context. "I-I-I mean, that's n-not the reason I—you know what? Just… take it." I held the bra out toward her. "I don't need it anymore."

She still looked confused. "You don't want it anymore?"

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. Man, why did this have to be so awkward? "I… It was just for the bet, okay? Look, I…" I thought of all the times on the island where I treated her rudely, intended or not. I thought of all the times I thought of myself before her, and my stupid actions and overly-desperate attempts to get her to even notice me, let alone like me. I needed to say this. I _really_ needed to say this… "I'm… I'm sorry."

"…What for?"

I looked up at her as if she had admitted to having a disturbing fetish. Did she really not know? I mean, she _was_ the one that wielded the crotch-punishing oar yesterday.

But I answered anyway. "For everything! For how I've been treating you, for annoying you, sniffing you, _this_," I waved the bra to illustrate my point, "everything. I... I was being ridiculous, and I-I'm sorry." I took a deep breath—scratch that, a _few_ deep breaths. She didn't interrupt. "Look, we really started off on the wrong foot and… well… I was kinda hoping we could… you know… start over? As buds or something?"

A long, awkward silence followed, and it was almost too much for me to take. My mind was practically begging her to say something.

In fact, the pause was so long that I was actually startled when she _did_ speak.

"Just keep it."

"…Huh?" A little too startled, in fact. I wasn't even sure what she was getting at.

"The bra. I don't need it either. I've got plenty."

Funny, I was still startled, but not for the same reasons anymore. Now, I was startled because she was actually letting me keep the bra. "…Really? But… It doesn't bother you at all?"

She took a few seconds to think before she responded. "…No, not really, actually. I mean, I can think of worse things you could've asked for, like my panties or my tamp—"

"Yeah, let's not go there."

"Gladly."

I felt my smile reform on my lips, and I noticed she was smiling a little again as well, which made my smile even wider. "So… What about… you know… us being buds?"

"…I'll think about it," she answered, though still with a smile.

"That's a start," I chuckled, putting the bra back in my pocket. "So… let's go to the lodge and complain about the food, shall we?"

"Sounds like a plan."

-X-

As I had expected, she was with Trent for the rest of the day—through breakfast, lunch, dinner, and just about every moment in between.

And I didn't bother them once.

…

Wait, scratch what I said earlier.

She was with Trent for _nearly_ the rest of the day.

Why do I say that?

…

Well, I'm not spoiling anything. Read on and find out.

-X-

**- CONFESSION CAM –**

_Looks like Chris's devious plan worked. I'm using this thing a lot more now._

_So… in an intriguing turn of events…_

_(Knock heard on outside wall of confession can)_

_Occupied! Sorry! So… in an intriguing turn of events, Gwen actually let me keep the bra. It was kinda weird, but… at the same time I was kinda glad about it. I mean, if this will really be all I have to remember her by…_

…

_(Sobs silently)_

…

_Sorry. I just… She really was _the _one, you know? I just… I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, I guess… Unless I really _am_ that bad. …Am I that bad?_

…_Whatever. I'm not going to let it eat away at me. I still have a shot at friendship here, and if I can pull that off, that'd be enough for me._

…

_And Noah…if you're watching this right now…you were right. You won. Things didn't work out after all. I just…wish it didn't…didn't hurt so much, you know?_

…_What am I doing? (Smacks self in forehead) Why am I moping? I should be happy! I made _Gwen_ happy!_

_(Smiles) …Yeah… I made Gwen happy… (Smile is wider) I made her happy. And that's all I want—that and her friendship. But even if I don't get the latter, as long as she's happy, I'm happy._

…

_Man, this confession thing really _does_ work. I feel much better now!_

-X-

I left the confession can, expecting someone—say, Courtney—to push me out of the way to get in the can, but surprisingly enough… there was no one there.

"That's weird… I could've sworn…"

…Wait… Is it possible that I just imagined someone knocking on the wall?

But… it sounded so real…

Hmm…

Well, not to worry. Besides, it's time to go to bed anyway…

"Cody?"

"EEK!" I shrieked, not expecting to hear someone call my name, obviously. I turned around. "G…Gwen?"

"Um… Yeah…" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry, but I heard some of your confession, and…"

My eyes widened. "How… how much did you hear?" _She_ must've been the one that knocked.

"Enough of it…" She looked a little ashamed for eavesdropping. "I was kinda listening in until you started talking about Noah. Then I figured you were done talking about me."

My head drooped slightly. She heard me moping, but she didn't hear me cheering up. And now she was guilty… though probably mostly due to eavesdropping on my confession.

"Well, at least we're even now," I said, trying to help her relieve her guilt, and some of my own.

"…What do you mean?"

"You know, what with Heather reading your diary and all… I heard some of your secret thoughts, and now you've heard some of mine."

I noticed her expression lightening and her shoulders loosening slightly. "Yeah… I guess so…"

"Yeah…"

We stood in silence for a short time, the awkwardness getting thicker and thicker and thicker until finally Gwen broke the silence.

"So… that buddy offer still standing?"

My eyes widened in surprise seconds before shining with joy. "Really?"

"…You know, you say that a lot, right?"

"Yes, I do. Just making sure I'm not hearing what I want to hear."

"So, what did I say? Maybe I can confirm saying it."

I chuckled lightly. "Well, I believe you said you were accepting my buddy offer."

"No, I asked if you were still offering it."

Now, normally I would probably take that seriously, but Gwen's small "Mona Lisa" smile kinda ruined the effect. "So… do you accept?"

She stayed silent for a few seconds, causing me to go tense. Later I'd figure out she was really just toying with me. "…Sure. Why not?"

My eyes widened even more as my grin covered nearly my entire face. "Rea—?"

"Yes. Really."

My grin continued to grow and grow until suddenly sharply imploding back to a frown as I realized a very likely, yet hopefully untrue possibility. "This isn't for pity, is it?"

"Nope," she replied, and my grin grew back, though not entirely engulfing my face this time. "I wasn't exactly a nice person either, and being in this hell-hole doesn't exactly help."

I nodded in understanding. "Yeah. It's a real dump, huh?"

She chuckled. "Well, at least we can all agree with that."

"Yeah… So, 'buddy', do you want to hang out tomorrow, or do you…"

"I was planning on hanging out with Trent. Sorry."

"Nah, I understand…" Okay, so I was feeling a little dejected about this, but I was doing my best to hide my jealousy.

"…But maybe you can tag along… for a _little_ while."

"Rea—?"

"Please don't."

"Sorry."

"And yes, I'm sure Trent won't mind. I mean, you said you two were close, right?"

I nodded. "Yep. It's kinda hard not to if you're in the same cabin."

She frowned, rolling her eyes. "I beg to differ. I'm doing my best to stay as far away from Heather as possible."

"Well, that goes without saying," I replied without a second thought, and we shared a chuckle.

"You know… you really aren't a bad guy after all," she said as soon as we stopped our "giggle fit."

"…Re—I mean, yeah… I guess not."

"Nice save."

"Thank you."

"But really…" She patted my shoulder, and I swear I thought I was going to melt. "Don't be so hard on yourself. It's not like you."

I nodded, though deep down I knew it was bull. This mask I'm wearing is much more effective than I thought. Maybe I am one of the Gar Logans of the world.

But still… looking at things in an optimistic perspective always made me feel better about my problems, which is why I tend to do it very often, even if it really _is_ nothing more than baloney.

But enough about that—what's really important here is that Gwen was actually… caring for me. Technically and platonically speaking, she really did love me.

And that was enough for me.

**-X-**

**I truly hope this chapter made up for the last couple episode-centric chapters.**

**At the looks of things, it may very well be about two chapters before DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!! Cody gets voted off. And yes, I admit I'm pretty much making this story up as I go along, but that's not to say I don't think about what I'm going to say before I type. I still plan ahead, and I still have a couple ideas for what'll happen right before and during Cody's stay at the Playa des Losers. But if you have any ideas, feel free to share them with me. I'll be more than happy to credit you with the idea if I use it.**

**I'm still considering whether or not to go into TDA with this story, or to make that a sequel. Either way, we won't have to worry about that for quite some time.**

**And once again I mention Garfield Logan in this chapter. I've already credited DC, and I'm behind on crediting stuff for SuperReunion! anyway, so screw that. (As for SR!, I probably will credit everything at the end of that fic, but that's not important because that has nothing to do with this fic. I just felt like rambling. Are you still reading this? Why?)**


	21. Codester's Last Stand Pt 1

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty: Codester's Last Stand, Part 1**_

Much to my surprise, Gwen really was serious about letting me hang out with her and Trent the next day. Trent even surprised me, as he didn't seem to mind me hanging around all that much… though he _was _keeping an eye on me. But hey, I'd probably be worried too. A macho man like myself always makes the ladies swoon… Heh heh… Just kidding. No, but I'd be worried. I wouldn't want to lose Gwen if I… actually had her to begin with…

…

Sorry… Where was I? Oh, right. It wasn't much—just hanging out in a small wooded area. No romantic picnics, nothing special; just three people hanging out basically, having a short moment's peace from all the drama back at camp.

Eventually, though, they began to flirt a little more, and I had a pretty good general knowledge of when to leave a couple alone.

So, I went back to camp. Maybe Owen would like to hang out today…

-X-

Nothing much else happened that day… well, at least nothing worth noting.

But the _next_ day was another story…

And it all began with the sound of helicopter blades…

-X-

"Are you ready for today's extreme max-impact challenge?!"

We were all at the campfire pit as Chris once again over-hyped our upcoming challenge. And as always, it worked for Owen. "WE! ARE! READY!"

"Incoming!" Chris began throwing cans of beans at us. "This is breakfast."

Heather was quick to complain, but Chris ignored her. "Today's challenge is about survival." He picked up a familiar looking object. "We're going hunting!"

Harold walked up to the host. "Isn't that a paintball gun?"

"Why, yes, Harold. It is." And with that, he shot Harold in the chest, knocking him down.

I chuckled before noticing that something was missing. I looked at my hands. "Hey, where'd the…?" I stood up, looking around.

"Looking for your can of beans?" I looked up to find Gwen and Trent standing next to me. "They're over there."

I turned to where she was alluding to… and chuckled. Owen was shoveling down can after can of beans down his esophagus.

…Oh, boy… I hope he's not around when—

"…I'll announce the teams once we get into the woods," Chris told us, interrupting my thoughts. "So… finish breaky."

_**BUUUUUUUUURP!!!**_

I chuckled as the others looked at Owen with disturbed expressions. "Well, someone already did."

"Alright, campers, follow me." And with that, Chris led us into the woods.

-X-

"So, Cody…"

My eyes widened, and I almost tripped from the surprise. "Uh, uh, uh… What?"

"Why'd you run off so soon yesterday?" Trent asked, and Gwen gave me an inquisitive look as well.

I was shocked. Did… did they _not_ want me to leave them alone? "I just… thought you two wanted some… uh… alone time."

"Wow," Trent said, smiling at me. "Thanks, man, but we really didn't mind."

"Oh, now you tell me," I said with a mock upset tone, earning a little chuckle from both Gwen and Trent. "Nah, I just thought it'd be the best thing to do. You were kinda… getting 'flirty'."

"Nah, it's cool. Thanks again, though," Trent said, patting my shoulder. "So… I wonder where we're headed."

"Well, wherever we're headed, I'm sure we'll have _oodles_ of fun," Gwen sarcastically stated, waving her finger in the air.

"Heh heh… yeah… I… wait… was that there yesterday?"

I looked ahead. There was a large rack with paintball guns on it, along with a chest lying in front of it.

"And now for the team breakdowns," Chris began. "The Killer Bass hunters are… Harold, Geoff, Bridgette," he counted off, throwing them their paintball guns, "locked and loaded with Bass blue paint. And using orange paint are the Gopher hunters: Leshawna, Beth, Owen, Lindsay." He threw them their paintball guns as well.

"WAH-HOO!!" Owen cheered. "THIS IS AWESOME, MAN!!"

"You also get these stylin' glasses and wicked camo caps," Chris added, showing off the two items. He turned to us. "The rest of you are now deer. Here are your antlers, noses, and little white tails," he laughed, showing off these items as well.

As usual, Heather was the first to complain. Duncan also had put in his two cents, but it was all for naught—Chris would have his way anyway.

-X-

"I'm a deer. I'm a frickin' deer."

I chuckled. "Aw, c'mon, Gwen. You look cute in that deer outfit."

"Do you want to die?"

"Easy, Gwen. Easy," Trent tried to calm her down. "Cody's our little buddy, remember?"

I grinned. 'Gwen thinks of me as her little buddy? Cool!'

"Right, right…" She groaned again. "But I still hate this outfit. I probably look ridiculous."

"You don't look ridi—" I tried to butt in, but Trent stopped me.

"Just… don't, 'kay?" he said to me. "I know you're trying to help, but… it's not working."

I frowned. "O-okay…" Man, I felt terrible. Not only was this awkward, but Gwen probably was starting to see me as… that "annoying stalker boy" again…

"Look, Cody," Gwen finally spoke up, relieving me of my funk, "it's not you."

"…Hmm? What do you mean by—?"

"Oh, my Gawd. This is _so_ freaking wrong. I should _not_ have to wear this _stupid_ outfit! One of these days, Chris… One of these days… I will SUE YOUR ASS!!"

"…Oh… Right…" Heather was a deer, too.

Gwen sighed. "This may be the lamest thing I've ever done in my life."

Alright, I don't care what Trent said. I'm doing whatever I can to cheer her up! "Aw, come on! It could be fun."

…Oh, crap…

Trent was folding his arms at me.

Gwen was glaring daggers at me, her arms on her hips.

Heather looked like she was about to commit mass murders.

I gulped. "Okay! Catch you later!"

And I high-tailed (no pun intended) my ass out of there.

Once the coast was clear, I stopped running, panting as I caught my breath. Damn, I wasn't even being chased by hunters, and I was already out of breath. …Alright. Inhale… and exhale… Inhale… exhale… Okay…

"Start your paintballs!" I suddenly heard over the loudspeaker. "Game on!"

Alright. No more Mr. Nice Guy. It was time to get my head in the game and get elusive.

If these guys want a challenge, they've got one.

I hid behind a bush and waited patiently. No use in running around and running into hunters. A little game of Hide and Seek always comes in handy in a challenge like this.

And it gives me time to think as well.

I sat on the ground, almost feeling the urge to scratch my face with my foot… though I probably wasn't limber enough to do that anyway. I began to think about what Noah would say at a time like this…

_What do you mean I'm a deer?_

_Oh, right. Like I'm going to wear _that_. What-everrrrr._

_Cody's a deer, too?! Aw, dammit…_

…_No, Duncan! Cody's not my 'dear'!_

_Paintball dodging: not my forte, remem—OW!_

_Izzy's never going to let us live this down, is she?_

_No, I'm not in heat!_

_No, Cody's not in heat either—GAHDDAMMIT!!_

Okay, that's enough…

...

I wonder what Gwen's up to…

…Probably making out with Trent or something…

…Nah. Who'd make out with someone during an important challenge? Who, I ask you?

…

…Damn, this is boring…

But essential.

Yeah. I can't let a little boredom get in the way of this win. We _have_ to win this! I mean, we can't let the Bass win twice in a row again… or else Heather will probably somehow get Gwen eliminated.

I don't want that to happen. I _can't_ let that happen. It'd be an injustice! She and Trent just hooked up!

Alright, keep the spirit up. Yeah. I can do this. I can win this for us. …Wait… I can't, really… but I can help by not getting shot! Yeah…

…

Hey, a chipmunk. Hi, little chipmunk… Aww… he's so cute—

I heard a rustle. Oh, crap… I held my breath, hoping I wasn't making any other notable sound. Luckily, whatever made the rustle had left, and I sighed with relief. That would've sucked if I would've been shot so soon in the contest…

Alright… Where was I in my thoughts? …Ah, I don't remember anymore…

Hmm… I wonder if Owen or Beth shot any deer yet…

…Man, how long has it been already?

I checked my watch. …Five minutes? Ugh…

This was going to take forever…

-X-

It must've been about a half an hour into the contest… I was barely able to think anymore…

I must've shifted my weight a little, as I moved the bush. Oh, crap!

"Whoever you are, go ahead—shoot me." Wait… _Beth? _"You can't make my day any shtinkier."

I poke my head out of the bushes and spotted her walking by, a bag of chips in her hand. Hoping she was alright, I followed her. "You're a hunter. I'm a deer. Slight food-chain issue with me shooting you." She didn't seem amused, so I cut to the chase. "How goes it?"

"I'm sho done with thish game!"

This startled me. Normally, Beth was in a good mood. "What happened? Have you bagged any deer yet?"

"No," she admitted, holding up the bag of chips, "but I _did_ rishk my life to shteal a bag of chips."

I was about to ask why before I heard, "What took you so long?"

Heather was sitting on a stump as if it was her throne, and Beth held the bag of chips toward her. "Here. I hope you know what I had to go through to get those."

I jumped as Heather quickly snagged the bag from Beth. She looked inside and quickly made her disappointment known. "There's, like, eleven chips left." She sniffed the bag. "And they're Barbecue!" She threw the bag down and looked away from us in disgust. "Go exchange them for Dill Pickle." Whoa… people actually eat that flavor of chips?

"No."

Whoa! What the hell…? Needless to say, I was shocked… no, SCARED. Does she realize who she just said "no" too?

"What did you just say?"

I gulped, not wanting any part of this. "I'm just gonna… yeah…" Quickly, I grabbed the forgotten bag of chips and ran for my life.

I've already survived one ticking time bomb. I didn't want to be anywhere near this one.

**-X-**

**Alright, yes, I know it's very episode-centric, but on the bright side I did try to add **_**some **_**new material to the chapter. And please keep in mind I am not the best when it comes to describing emotions and whatnot. I think it's because my logical side of the brain keeps overshadowing my creative side, which may be the reason why I can't seem to get past "he said, she said" type dialogue most of the time. But thank you for bearing with me. I appreciate it.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Truth be told, I put a little more effort in the next one than I did with this one. Yep, I admit it. So maybe that doesn't make me the best author in the world. But hey, at least I can type. (OH! BURN!!!)**


	22. Codester's Last Stand Pt 2

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-One: Codester's Last Stand, Part 2**_

Crunch.

Mmm…

Rustle.

Crunch.

Mmm…

Rustle.

Crunch.

"Mmm… Barbecue…" I chuckled to myself. "The king of chip flavors… Mmm…"

Maybe this day isn't so bad after all.

And even better: no one's shot me yet. Yes! I feel my luck changing already.

…

…Okay, seriously… how long is this challenge going to last? It feels like forever…

That's it… I'm heading back anyway…

…

Crunch.

Mmm…

Rustle.

…

Rustle.

…

Aw, man! The chips are gone!

…Hey, what's that?

…

"Mmm! Berries!" I threw the empty bag of chips behind me and leaned down to pick up the berries lying on the ground…

_**GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**_

…Uh-oh…

I looked up behind me. Oh. My. God.

A bear.

A huge bear.

A huge frickin' bear.

A pissed-off huge frickin' bear.

With chip crumbs on his face.

Heh heh heh… Oh, boy…

Wait… maybe there's a way I can get out of this alive… I held up the berries. "H-hey, big fella! Want some berries?"

**RRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!**

And there goes the berries… and my clothes…

**SCRATCH**

"AAGH!!" Ow… my face…

…Wait! NO!

**SWIPE**

Ohhhhh… Mommy…

…N-no-no-no-no!

**SWIPE**

…Ow…

(blacks out)

-X-

Where… Where am I?

I… can't move…

Oh, God… I can't see… I CAN'T SEE!!

…_Well, maybe it'd help if you opened your eyes, moron…_

…Oh yeah…

…

AHH! One of my eyes won't open!

_That's because it's swollen, genius…_

NOT HELPING!!

I looked around the area. I… I must be in the medical tent…

Maybe our host really did care after all.

…

Nah…

"Alright, Scrawny," a gruff voice spoke. I looked to my right and winced. "Hold on there, boy. I wouldn't move my neck if I were you." It was Chef. "You're lucky you're even alive, Scrawny. I've seen a lot of good men die from what you just went through." He picked up a clipboard and studied it. "Yep. You're damn lucky. Not many people survive being mauled by bears."

If I could gulp, I would have. I was… mauled?

…Oh, yeah… now I remember…

"Can you speak?"

…I don't know, can I? I tried anyway. "Mph mph mph mph…"

"Oh, sorry." He pulled the bandages down from in front of my mouth, and I repeated what I said:

"I think I can…"

"Ah. Good." He put the bandages back over my mouth. "Signs of progress are always good. Now, tell me, Scrawny… would you rather heal naturally or take this new procedure I came up with called 'reboning'?"

"…Mph?"

"Glad you asked!" He cleared his throat. "Reboning is the process of either a) replacing all of your bones with stray bones I found while hunting for food back in the war… or b) simply replacing all the damaged parts of your bones with this stuff," he picked up a box of "Supplies", "and use it as means to get around for about three to four days. The plus side of it is that you'll be walking within a week. The bad side though is that it's extremely painful and it could result in death. Your pick, Scrawny."

"…Mph-mer-mph, mph…"

"…I'm sorry, what?" He pulled down the bandages in front of my mouth again.

"…Natural, please…"

"…Alright, have it your way. But you'll be in a wheelchair for a while." He put the bandages back over my mouth and called for Chris.

The television host stepped into the tent. "'Sup, my man? How's Cody?"

"He's doing pretty well for someone who got mauled by a bear. He's lucky I wrestled the bear away from him just in time." Chef paused for a moment, probably to bask in his own glory. "He's decided NOT to get reboned."

"He does know he'll be incapacitated for weeks with that kind of injury, right?"

So I don't want to die! So sue me!

"Alright, let's wrap this challenge up before anyone else gets this messed up." He stepped out of the tent, and soon after I heard his voice on the intercom saying the challenge was over.

"Hey, Scrawny… how 'bout we get you in that chair, son," Chef said as he proceeded in lifting me up ("MMMMPHHHHHHHH-MMMPHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!") and setting me in the chair. "Oh, quit crying, kid. Remember those men I told you about? They didn't whine so much when they were torn limb from limb by wild beasts! So quit your yammerin'!" At least he was careful enough to keep the IV and other medical utensils intact as he wheeled me out of the tent.

"GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!!"

"Oh, my God…"

"…Man, even I can feel that…"

I perked up slightly (as perking up too much would have hurt my already messed up neck). Some of the campers had just made it back, and were now shocked to see what had happened to me.

"GAWSH, what the hell happened to you, man?" Harold asked as he and Sadie walked up to me.

"Mph mph-mph mph…" Damn these bandages.

"He got mauled by a bear," Chris answered for them in quite a nonchalant manner.

"Are you kidding me?" I heard someone else ask… I think it may have been Heather. "You've already got blown up; what more do you have to do to yourself to get Goth girl to notice you?" Yep. Heather.

"Excuse me?!"

"Oh-oh-oh-oh, you did _not _just call out both my Shorty _and_ my white girl! I'm glad I shot you up wit' my paintball gun you sorry excuse for a—"

"Whoa-ho-ho! Take it easy guys…"

"Yeah, Goth girl, listen to your boyfriend. And Leshawna, don't even start."

"Everyone here?" Chris asked, ultimately stopping the quarrel. "Good." He started pacing back and forth, shaking his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk… Stealing from Chef… Eating chips in the woods… Being mauled by bears…" He stopped. "Do you know what I see here? I see a very undisciplined group. I see a disgraceful mess. I see a massive waste of paint products! And I have to say… that wa-ha-ha-as awesome! Ha-ha!" …Wait, what? "When you guys opened fire on your own team… wicked TV, guys."

Is that really all he cared about? His precious ratings?!

…

"Hey, where are Duncan and Courtney?"

…

"Oh, this is too much…"

"Hahaha… Duncan, you sly dog, you…"

"The girl can't keep her antlers off me."

…Well, I guess it shows how much I mat—

OOH!!!

Man, if I wasn't in so much pain right now that would've hurt me from here…

I felt Chris lean his elbow on my head, and I gritted my teeth from the pressure. "Easy, Courtney. The medical tent is really only equipped for one at a time and Cody's pretty messed up."

Well, maybe he does care after all.

…

Man, I love to BS you guys about this stuff a little too much, don't I?

-X-

Well, Chris had announced the winners of the challenge—the Killer Bass—and sent us Gophers to get ready for our next bonfire ceremony.

As usual, before the final bonfire ceremony we had our final supper together as team. However, I stayed in the medical tent—I couldn't eat anything in my current condition, so I had to stick with my IV.

Maybe I was lucky after all.

Gwen, Trent, Leshawna, and Beth had offered to stay with me in the tent while Chef cooked supper. A part of me felt like they actually cared about my well-being, but another part of me felt the real reason was so they would have an excuse to not eat Chef's food. Ultimately, I assumed the former simply to keep my self-esteem high.

"You okay, Shorty?" Leshawna was the first to ask, and I nodded slowly—VERY slowly (so I wouldn't hurt my neck).

"Dammit, Cody, you know you didn't have to leave the group," Trent said, though he immediately looked like he regretted saying it.

"Mmph… Mmph…"

"Oh, hold on…" He pulled down my facial bandages.

"Thanks… But yeah… We had to pretty much split up anyway, you know… Split up so the enemy can't find all of you… Like a war game, really. Besides, I figured you didn't want me around, so…"

I heard a sigh, and I already knew who it belonged to, but Beth quickly spoke up before I could say anything. "You are very brave, Cody. I would be sho shcared if I were in that cshair."

"…Thanks, Beth…"

"Hee hee! You're welcome, Codemeishter!" She wrapped her arms around me in a hug.

A very tight hug.

"Ow-ow-ow-OW!" I winced in pain, and Beth quickly let go. I seethed for a few seconds before regaining my composure. "Sorry, Beth. I'm just… in a lot of pain…"

"No, I'm shorry, Cody," she replied. "I'm just sho happy… I finally shtood up to Heather today, and… well… it felt good. Really good."

"That's good to hear," I said, smiling as the pain started to lift.

"Sho… shee ya at the bonfire sheremony, Cody…" she said, waving at me, as she, Leshawna, and Trent left the tent.

…Wait… Where's…

"Cody?"

…Gwen?

Sure enough, during my chat with the others, Gwen must have somehow found the corner of the tent quite interesting, and had just come back into my peripheral vision. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"…Yeah, I'll be fine…"

She walked up to my chair. "You… you want me to wheel you around for a little bit?"

"…Um… If you want…"

She walked behind me and started pushing me outside. "So… do you know who you're voting for, Cody?"

There was something about the way she said that… like she was nervous about something. But I ignored it. "Yeah. You?"

"…Yeah."

I smiled, believing she had the same person in mind that I was. "I'm a little worried about Beth though… I'm afraid Heather might find a way to get rid of her."

"You don't have to worry… about that," I heard her say. "I was… I was talking with Trent, Leshawna, and Owen earlier, and we've… already decided who's going…"

Okay, there was something wrong with her, but I had no idea what. But I knew something was wrong. I just knew it. Her voice… it… it sounded so… sad… "Is something wrong, Gwen?"

"N-no, no… everything's fine."

"…Um…okay…" Well, if she wanted to share what was on her mind, I'm sure she would at this point. "So… four, maybe five votes… I'm sure things'll go your way, especially if Heather votes against Beth."

"…Yeah." A long silence followed, and I was getting confused. Why was she so upset? Heather's finally going home, right? Shouldn't she be happy?

That's it! I don't know what's wrong, but I'm saying something to comfort her.

"Gwen… if it makes you feel any better about whatever it is you're sad about, I'm voting to protect you. You know that, right?"

Another long, awkward pause followed. Remember that black hole that resided a few times in my chest? It was back. And it was sucking every bit of happy up right now.

Finally, she spoke up again. "Cody… that's… quite a coincidence…"

…What did she mean by that?

"…'cause I'm voting to protect you, too…"

I blinked a few times. Wait… why would I need protecting from Heather? She wasn't after me… was she?

Ah well. It didn't matter, because Heather was going home.

"Well… we're here." Gwen stopped the wheelchair, and I looked up. We were at the Confession Can.

"Alright, Cody, I'll go get Chef so you can make your vote, alright?" Gwen told me, and I nodded slowly. "Okay. Bye, little buddy." She gave me a quick, light hug—a much less painful one than the one Beth gave me—and, to my surprise, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving me in front of the can. I assumed the kiss was either out of pity or to help me keep my mind off of the last few minutes, as well as my pain. Either way, I certainly wasn't complaining. Not one bit…

But still… I wondered what was eating Gwen. She seemed so… out of it…

Before I could think any further on the subject, Chef was already on his way to help me get into the can. You know, it's strange, but he can actually be a pretty good guy if he wants to be. But those moments are rather rare.

"Ready, Scrawny?" he asked, but before I could answer he opened the can and practically shoved me into the can. …Well, okay… that works…

**- CONFESSION CAM –**

_Um… alright… you're probably wondering why I'm in a full body cast. I can explain._

_We had a paintball challenge today… and no, that's not what caused this to happen. In fact, I didn't get hit once by a paintball, and I guess I should be a little proud of that._

_So anyway, we were split up into hunters and deer. And you know what? I was so psyched to be a deer. I'm small, but I'm quick—lots of practice dodging spitballs in math class._

_I thought it was a sinch to win. I almost made it all the way through without getting hit by a single paintball. And then… well… I managed to get mauled by a bear…_

_I know. Just my luck, right?_

_But you know what? I think I'll be alright. And I think I still have a good shot with this contest. (laughs) Okay, I know I got mauled by a bear, but I'm feeling good about this. I'm a quick healer. And besides, Heather's mean as a snake, dude. Her own team shot her, like, eighteen times. They'll never kick me off._

_So buh-bye, Heather. Your reign of terror is over._

-X-

"I mean, seriously, twice in a row? What is wrong with you people? I can't wait to see Beth get kicked off. I just wish I could vote off TWO campers at once!"

Oh yeah. She's definitely going home.

"There are only seven marshmallows on this plate," Chris began the ceremony. "When I call your name, come up and claim your marshmallow. The camper—"

"Who-does-not-receive-a-marshmallow-must-immediately-return-to-the-Dock-of-Shame-catch-the-Boat-of-Losers-and-leave. Can't we get this over with?"

I frowned behind my facial bandages. Seriously, why was Gwen acting so weird? It was as if she was hiding something.

"Fine. Whatever. Spoil the moment." Hmm… Chris didn't seem exactly enthusiastic either, but I understood that. Once Heather leaves, most of the drama will too, and his ratings will probably plummet. Ah, well…

The host called off the Gophers' names one by one, throwing marshmallows at them.

There was only one marshmallow left on the plate, and I realized something. Beth's name had already been called. It was either Heather or me.

…Wait… I'm on the chopping block?

"Campers, this is the final marshmallow tonight." Suddenly, everything started to click. Gwen's strange behavior and Chris's lack of enthusiasm suddenly made sense to me.

''Cause I'm voting to protect you, too…'

No… NO! Gwen, you didn't have to do this… You could've gotten rid of her!

"Heather."

No…

"You are all lucky, okay? VERY lucky!"

No, no, no, no, no.

She was almost gone…

Dammit, Cody… why did you have to get mauled by a frickin' bear?!

"Cody. The Dock of Shame awaits, bro."

You know, I've heard from someone that I was one of Chris's "favorite campers," at least at the time, due to the "love triangle story arc" as he would later call it. That would explain why he seemed a little… off, tonight.

But his sadist nature came back as he realized I couldn't move the wheelchair myself. "I guess we can help you get there."

"I'll do it!" Beth quickly volunteered and walked up behind my chair. As she pushed me toward the dock, I heard the other campers—the campers I assumed were in on "protecting me"—call out to me.

"Bye, Cody." Gwen.

"See ya, buddy." Leshawna.

"Take care, dude." Owen.

I tried to say good-bye to my team, but the bandages muffled it. Oh man… I dreamt about the night I walk the Dock of Shame nearly every night since I got here, but I never would've dreamt it be like this…

I didn't even get to say good-bye to Gwen…

…Wait… where's the boat?

I tried to ask that, but Beth mistook it for me congratulating her on standing up to Heather. I still tried to talk, but it was no use.

"I'm gonna be okay, don't worry about me," she assured me, despite me not asking. "Aaaaaand, I still have my good luck charm… See?"

She showed me the "good luck charm": some sort of weird tiki doll.

"I got it from Boney Island last week."

…What?!

Suddenly, I recalled the curse Chris warned us about on that day.

AAH!!! I tried to struggle, but remembered that nearly all my bones were broken. So I tried screaming, hoping Beth would notice.

She didn't. "Cool, huh? Bye, Cody! Take care!" She then gave me a kiss on the cheek, but I barely noticed it as I found myself heading toward the lake.

Beth! BETH!!

She… She left!

…Oh no…

Oh God no…

HELP!! HELP!!!

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

**Splash!**

…Oh God… Oh God… I'm going to die…

I'm going to freaking die!

…I never… I never got to say good-bye… to Gwen…

…Oh God…

…

I never… got to say good-bye… to Mom and Dad either…

…Oh God…

…

The lack of oxygen… it's getting to me…

I'm already starting to hallucinate…

…I could've sworn I saw a mermaid…

…

Chris…

…I hope you're happy, you bastard…


	23. Welcome to Loserville

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Two: Welcome to Loserville**_

…

…

…

**POUND**

YYYYEEEEOOOOWWWW!

What the…?!

What the hell's pounding on my ches…wait… I'm alive?

I'm alive! I'M ALI—

**POUND**

YYYYEEEEOOOOOWWWWWWW!!

"BREATHE, DAMN YOU!!"

"IZZY!! IZZY!! HE'S AWAKE!!"

Ow…

"Noah, stand back! I know you love him, but you need to give me some room!"

"IZZY!"

**POUND**

AAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!

"Please… no more… So much pain…"

"Cody! You're alive!" She wrapped around me tightly, causing more pain to shoot through my body.

"YEEEEAAAAOOOWWW-HOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!"

"Geesh, Cody! What's _your_ problem?"

"Gee, Izzy, maybe it's because he's in a _full frickin' body cast?_ Notice that?!"

…Noah?

"W-what's going on?" I asked, still a little dazed. In fact, I was so dazed I didn't even notice the fact that my facial bandages had disappeared. "How did I survive?"

"Crazy Girl here went for a swim and found you in the lake."

…

Wait… that mermaid…

That was _Izzy?_

Wait… my chair… Where's my chair?

"Alright, now get up!" …Izzy, please tell me you're not serious…

"Izzy… I need a wheelchair…"

…

"…Oh, so THAT'S what you were sitting on! I thought it was some sort of death machine. My uncle was once strapped to a death machine, and boy, I tell ya, it was—"

"Izzy, just get him a damn wheelchair." Thank you, Noah.

"Okay, fine! Geesh!" Though I couldn't quite see it, as my eyes were currently fixed on the sky and the sky only, I could hear her storm off.

"…Sorry about that, Cody," Noah sighed as he sat next to me on the dock. "Izzy's a little… well, you know…"

"Yeah, I know," I chuckled beside myself. "I've had to put up with her a little longer than you have."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." A long silence followed as we waited for Izzy to bring back a wheelchair—preferably an _unoccupied_ wheelchair. Not liking the silence one bit, I decided to ask Noah a few things.

"Hey… Noah?"

"Hmm?"

"How's Katie taking the separation?"

He sighed, pretty much answering my question already. "Not very well, actually."

I frowned. "…Oh… That's too bad…" After a moment, I asked another question. "Did Eva kill that one guy?"

Noah had to think for a moment before realizing who I was talking about. "Oh, you mean Ezekiel? Surprisingly, no, but the poor guy's been receiving many death glares from her."

"That's good… I didn't… I didn't think he really meant anything bad by it…"

"No, I'm sure he didn't," Noah agreed. "Some people are just too sensitive."

"And some people aren't sensitive enough," I added.

"…Well, I meant that people are offended too easily. I mean, seriously…"

"…Man, where's Izzy with that chair?"

Okay, I admit that the reason I asked that was because I didn't like where the conversation Noah and I were having was going. Noah wasn't afraid to offend anyone. And I… well… I kinda was. Still am, too.

"She probably got side-tracked," Noah explained to me. "I should've just gotten you a chair myself."

"But then who would I talk to?"

A long silence followed my response, and I was starting to regret what I said. Noah and I weren't exactly on… great terms the last time we had seen each other, and that just made this situation all the more awkward.

"…Oh, finally!" Noah spoke up after what felt like an eternity, and I could only assume that it was because Izzy was back.

"Here's what you asked for," I heard Izzy say as Noah left my side. "I was going to just get a normal chair and swim to the nearest auto parts store to find a set of tires, but Zeke showed me where the wheelchairs were, so I didn't have to."

Well, that was good to know.

"Alright, I'll take it from here, Izzy." Then a few seconds of silence later I saw Noah lower down next to me. "Alright, this is probably going to hurt… a lot…" He then proceeded (albeit with much struggle and difficulty) in picking me up bridal style, and I felt a blush creep up on my face as Izzy started yelling catcalls.

But surprisingly I didn't feel all that much pain, though maybe it was because my mind wasn't all that focused on it. I was too busy thinking about… well… just about everything at that moment. That last challenge… that last bonfire ceremony…

I didn't understand. Why exactly did they vote me off? I mean, I know Gwen said it was to protect me, but… from what? I was already mauled by a bear. Did they think I would get mauled again? Did they think something worse would happen to me? That I might actually die if I stayed on the island?

Heather… Gwen could've gotten rid of her… but she didn't…

…Wait…

…Was this a response to what I did for her?

Now that the thought had entered my mind, I couldn't help but think it was a major possibility. I had helped Gwen for a price—I lost the love of my life to someone else. Now she had helped me for a price—she lost her chance to get rid of Heather.

We had both made sacrifices for each other, and I just now realized that.

And I felt my lips curve upward.

"…Aaaaaaand here we go!" Noah finally got me into the chair, and he started panting, trying to catch his breath. I chuckled—apparently, he's just as scrawny as I am.

"So, do you want me to give you a tour around the Playa des Losers?" I heard once Noah regained his composure.

"Um… sure," I responded, not quite sure what this _Playa des Losers _was. He got behind my chair and turned me around.

Now seeing the place for (literally) the first time, my eyes widened in shock.

"…Wwwwoooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh…"

"Yeah, it's a pretty impressive place, alright," Noah added to my "Whoa." "It's even got its own library."

"Cooooooooooolllll…" I mumbled, still in awe at the beautiful resort. "Man… I wish… I wish I wasn't in this body cast right now…"

"Since when does anyone want to be in a body cast?" Noah inquired. "Besides Izzy," he quickly added, and I chuckled lightly at his remark.

We walked around (scratch that, _he_ walked around; I was just along for the ride) for quite some time. He had shown me the library and other various important rooms, as well as some of the outdoor areas (such as the pool and the hot tub). But eventually, we came to a stop, and I could practically sense that something was wrong.

"…Cody?"

"What?" I asked, feeling the tension rise in the atmosphere.

"…I'm sorry."

A long silence followed, as I didn't know how to respond to that. I knew what he meant, of course, but I didn't think it was something _he _needed to apologize for. He was absolutely right… about everything…

He had no reason to say "I'm sorry."

But I wasn't going to argue with him either, so ultimately I responded. "It's okay, dude."

"No, really… I am sorry. And believe me when I tell you something like that. I don't admit fault often."

I smirked at him. "Then why'd you admit fault now?"

He didn't answer my question. Instead, he offered to take me to my room, and we stayed silent all the way there. So he didn't want to talk about it. That's alright. He can talk to me when he's ready.

"I'll go get the nurses, 'kay Cody?" Then he left the room.

I sat patiently, waiting for the nurses to enter my room. It was going to be a long recovery, I knew that. But at least it wouldn't be under Chef Hatchet's medical practices, and for that I was thankful.

But that wasn't all I was thankful for.

Gwen, you may not realize this, but you actually did more for me than protect me. You gave me a second chance—a second chance to repair a broken bond with my best friend.

And yes, you've done so much more for me, probably without even knowing you had, but I'll reveal those things in due time.

So if there ever was anything—_anything_—that I was most thankful for, it's meeting you, Gwen.

Thank you… so much…


	24. Bond Bonded

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Three: Bond Bonded**_

"I'm going to take you to breakfast, okay Cody?"

"Um… yeah, that was the idea."

"Sorry… I used to work at a nursing home."

I chuckled. My nurse (who, by the way, was one of few staff members to speak fluent English, though many could still speak broken English) was pretty funny at times, even if she didn't mean to be. And she was kinda cute…

Too bad she was already in a relationship… and she was 31…

Ah well…

It was my second morning at the Playa des Losers, but my first out of my room. My nurse had recommended a day of rest after all that happened to me, but the loneliness of the room (when she said she wanted me to rest, she meant it—I had no visitors at all yesterday) got to me, and I asked that today I could be with the others. Of course, how could she say "No" to such a cute little bandaged-up face?

"Hey, Codemeister!" I heard as I was wheeled into the dining area. It was Tyler, of all people. "We didn't get to see you at all since you got here. What the heck happened to you, man?"

"Oh, you know… mauled by a bear…" I explained. "You'll see it on TV, I'm sure."

"We don't have to wait that long." Katie. Once again, I was surprised by this welcome wagon from the former Bass. "After the first editing process, Chris sends a rough copy of the episode to us," she told me. "Then he edits it down a few more times before sending it to the network. I guess he just wants us to know what's been going on."

"…Why?" I had to inquire, though I was surprised at this sudden burst of intelligence from Katie. Maybe there was more to the wonder twins than I thought.

"…I'm not sure, but I think maybe it's because we aren't the ones that choose the winner, like they do on most shows."

Huh… that surprised me. That's exactly what I was expecting.

And I bet I'm not the only one who thought it would work like that.

…Wait… A light bulb had turned on in my head. "…In these tapes… are all of the confessions and votes in there?"

Katie nodded. "Yeah, but only if you want to see it. If you don't, we'll forward through it, 'kay?"

"…No. I want to see it."

She smiled at me, and I felt my heart warm up a little. Hey, what can I say? Katie's kinda cute… it's just… I don't want to get in the way of her and Sadie. "Yeah, I understand. I wanted to see mine too. It was really neck-and-neck, but I'm glad Sadie got to stay. She was always smarter than me at stuff."

It wasn't even a second later before her smile disappeared, and she suddenly started bawling. Tyler immediately and instinctively began patting her on the back. "It's okay, Katie. It had to happen sometime, right?"

"Ye-yeah…" she admitted, calming down. "Y-You're right…"

Man… I thought the drama would end after I got eliminated.

I was wrong.

-X-

"Where would you like to sit, Cody?"

I looked around the dining area for a good spot. …Okay, not really. I was just looking for someone. "Um… over there…"

"Um… where, dear?"

Oh, right… It's not like my nurse could read my thoughts… but then again, that may be a good thing. "By Izzy, Eva, and Noah, please."

"Okay, dear."

"…Um… If it's not so much to ask… please don't call me 'dear', okay? It sounds like…"

"Oh, right. I understand."

And with that, I was wheeled toward the trio.

"Cody!" Izzy quickly greeted. "Feeling better?"

"Meh…"

"That's good! Progress!"

"So…how are you going to eat?" Eva asked.

"…I'm not. I'm still on the IV, but I wanted to hang out with you guys," I explained. "Yesterday sucked… I was bored out of my skull."

The nurse cleared her throat to get my attention. "Okay, Cody, I'll leave you with them for a while. Is that okay?"

"Um… sure. In fact…" I turned to the trio. "Do any of you want to wheel me around for the rest of the day so this lovely lady can get the rest of the day off?"

"Um… I don't think that's a good ide—"

"I'll do it," Noah said, not looking up from his food.

"…Well, okay then. You sure about this, Cody?"

I nodded. "Yep. Absolutely."

"Um… okay. See you tomorrow then."

As soon as she walked away, I noticed Izzy giving me a stern look. "What?"

"How _dare_ you lead Noah on like that?"

"…What?"

"I saw the way you were looking at that nurse."

"…Izzy, please stop with this nonsense…"

"I WILL NEVER BE SILENCED!!!"

"Cody, just let it go," Noah finally spoke up, and I was surprised he hadn't sooner. "She's not going to give it up."

I understood. "Yeah, I figured that…"

"So, geek boy…" I turned to Eva, who, surprisingly, actually did _not_ look angry. "What you went through… it takes a lot of guts to get through crap like that. Kudos."

"…Um…thanks…"

"Hey, I call 'em as I see 'em," she said, smirking at me. "You're a lot tougher than you let on. I respect that."

"…Thanks…"

"Say 'thanks' one more time and I'll take back everything I just said."

"…Right. Sor—"

"Say 'sorry' and the respect is gone."

"…Shutting up now." Well, that was fun…

Izzy cackled at my one-on-one with Eva, and Noah shook his head. "Don't mind Iron Woman over here… she's not so bad once you get to know her."

"Excuse me, Bookworm?" Eva growled, and I chuckled again. Maybe the drama's not so bad after all.

-X-

After we finished our breakfast, Noah wheeled me out of the dining hall. Catcalls from Izzy could be heard from our table.

"Alright, where are we headed?" Noah asked me.

"…Um… anywhere, I guess…" I wasn't sure, to be honest. I just wanted to talk to him. Okay, so I know I said I'll let him talk when he's ready, but I really just wanted to get this over with. The day before, when I was all by myself, I had a lot of time to think—to think of how I was going to confront Noah about all this.

…Okay, so that wasn't all I was thinking about. Gwen, obviously, had occupied my thoughts as well. So many things left unsaid, even if it was best that those things were to be left as such.

"I assume you wanted to talk about something?" Man, it was like he read my mind.

"Yeah, I did…" I couldn't deny the awkwardness of the current situation. It was pretty freaking awkward. "Listen, we've had our… ups and downs…"

"Understatement of the century," he added.

"…Right… and well… I want to patch things up with you. Is that cool?"

God, why did this have to be so awkward?

"…Of course, Cody. In fact… I was kinda hoping we could put this ugly mess behind us, but I thought it was… you know… too late…"

I smiled, knowing I had my buddy back. "Everyone deserves a second chance, dude."

It was a few seconds before I heard a reply, so I assumed he had a hard time processing the information I just gave him. "Um… thanks… Cody…"

"No problem, dude."

"…And sorry for being such an ass."

"Hey, you can't help that."

"Hey!"

I chuckled. "Oh, lighten up, dude. I'm in a body cast and I'm having more fun than you."

"…You know what? You're right. Maybe I _do_ need to lighten up more."

"There ya go!"

"…But it's a lot more fun to be cynical."

Oh, that Noah… heh heh… I started laughing, and he soon followed. A very rare moment indeed, to hear Noah laughing. Really, it was a blessing if you could hear it.

Once our laughter ceased, Noah cleared his throat. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"…Well, when's Chris gonna get here with that tape? I want to see it."

"It probably won't be until tonight, but for now you can probably look at some of the previous tapes."

"That sounds good," I accepted. "It'd be great to see Gwen on the screen. It won't be the same, but… you know…"

"But I thought you were over her."

Those words stopped my thoughts. Well, I guess I could see why someone would think that, but really… how do you get over a girl like Gwen? It's damn near impossible.

"No… I'm not really…'over her'… but I just want what's best for her," I explained, "and I guess that's just not me."

"Yeah, well if you ask me, that's a load of bull."

"…Huh?" I was shocked to hear Noah say that.

"Well, it's just… I think any girl would be foolish to toss aside someone who's willing to do so much for her. And you wonder why chivalry is dead."

Oh boy…

"Chivalry's not dead," I tried to reason with him. "It's just on life support."

"…Still, I can't think of any reason why anyone would take someone like Justin over guys like us. I mean, I've had a few one-on-ones with Justin over the past week. He's not exactly the nicest guy… especially to Katie. Now, granted I'm not really a nice guy either but come on…"

"You know, for an introvert, you like to talk," I chimed in.

"Yes, I do, don't I? But what about you, Cody? You seem to switch from introvert to extrovert and back quite fluently… and consistently."

"Maybe I'm bipolar?" I joked, but that didn't earn any laughs this time.

"…How about we watch those tapes?"

"Okay."

**-X-**

**Well, looks like Cody and Noah are now good friends again. Now let's hope Izzy doesn't try to ruin it.**


	25. Recap Pt 1

**I know this will probably be boring as hell, since you already know what happened. Just think of this as… an intermission. Besides, I'm sure Cody and Noah's conversations will make up for it… hopefully…**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Four: Recap, Part 1**_

Noah and I were now in a lounge with a large plasma screen TV. Noah took a seat on a couch right next to me, and we went through the tapes.

It was interesting to see how the others reacted to the camp when they got there. Some, like Beth and Harold, didn't seem to care at all. Others, like Gwen and Heather, weren't exactly happy with this. But one thing was for sure, I did enjoy watching Gwen ripping up the contract for some reason, even if Chris did have a backup plan.

I found myself chuckling at Noah's entrance though, and I could practically feel him roll his eyes at me. Though I had to admit I respected the fact that Noah had managed to keep his cool while Duncan had him by his lip.

I smiled when I finally saw me appear. Not in a conceited way; I just thought my posing with Chris looked rather amusing. But when I started to hit on the girls, my smile disappeared. Geez, was I really like that?

Eva showed up next, and I found out that Duncan's words that day were actually to DJ. Interesting… I wouldn't have thought of pairing those two up. But you never know, I guess…

Soon after, the Big One, the Evil One, the "Hawt" One, and the Crazy One appeared on the dock, and Noah and I both cringed when the latter's chin hit the dock, even though we had seen it once before.

As the rough cut of the episode continued to play, I found myself becoming more and more intrigued by what everyone else was doing while I wasn't on camera. It felt strange knowing the events that happened at the same time that you were doing something else, and then actually getting to see these things happen. It made me feel… omniscient, as weird as that sounds.

We then watched the first challenge: the cliff-dive. The start felt rather slow—I'm surprised Chris left all this in. But eventually, the Bass began jumping off the cliff one-by-one. All the things I missed before I had now seen: Tyler hitting the buoy (ouch!), Ezekiel hitting the side of the cliff (double ouch!), and all the jumps that occurred after mine. And once again, I felt myself becoming ashamed of the fact that they televised Leshawna and I bawking at Beth, thus missing Noah's jump (though he didn't really seem to care).

We stayed silent until after Owen's jump, when Noah began chuckling at me. "Your head was buried in the sand. How in God's name did you survive that?"

"…Luck?"

"Good answer."

We continued to watch through the first few tapes, every once in a while providing our own little commentary.

"Ah, so Heather's pretty much been a witch this whole time, huh?"

"Damn, why couldn't he have put some clothes on? Who is he—Richard Hatch?"

"I don't know about you, but that run actually wasn't so bad at first… until I passed out."

"Man, why couldn't they have served us all that good food for the whole season?"

"Oh, by the way, thank you for loaning me that deck of cards, man. That was helpful for a while."

"…Man, I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner. She's practically head over heels for him…"

"…How long had Courtney been doing that? Holy crap!"

"Okay, seriously, Richard Hatch! Why are you always NAKED!!!"

"Heh heh… Seriously? Those eyes were painted on? Awesome!"

"Aw, poor Harold…"

"Still funny, though."

"Yeah, but still…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Um, Cody?"

"…Yeah?"

"…Really, I'm sorry about that."

I chuckled at him. "Dude, we're over that, remember?"

"I know, but because of that stupid occurrence, Izzy won't shut up about it."

I tried to shrug, but remembered I couldn't move my arms. "So… who were you dreaming about, anyway?"

"…I don't want to talk about it."

"Dude, if you don't tell me, I'll assume it was about me."

"…Okay, but you gotta tell me who you were dreaming about first," he said. "You seemed pretty happy about getting your ear sucked there, Codester."

"Duh! Gwen," I answered, thinking he should've known that.

"…Oh, right…"

"Alright, now you gotta tell me! Who were you dreaming about?"

Noah gulped, but before he answered, he pushed the rewind button on the remote. "Oh, crap! We missed the worst pun in existence. Hold on, you gotta hear this crap…" He pushed play, and we watched as Chris opened up a pop-up book.

"…Chapter One: The Beaver. National Symbol, and a 'Dam' Fine Hat."

I laughed. "That is friggin' awful!"

"I know!"

"Heh heh… So… now you gotta tell me who you were dreaming about."

"…Alright, but it doesn't really matter anyway."

"Why not?" My smile fell into a frown again. Was something wrong?

"Because I know for a fact she's not interested in me."

Oh, man… I had to cheer him up now. "Come on, dude! I'm sure deep down she really likes y—"

"It's Gwen."

"…Oh…" Oh boy…

"…What can I say? Cynical, intelligent, always complaining… She's like a hot, dark, female version of me."

Wow… I didn't know what to say. He liked Gwen, too.

Not that it surprised me, of course; I mean, c'mon! It's Gwen! The lovely Goth angel I've been telling you about throughout this whole damn story.

I will say this one more time, and chances are I will probably say it again later on.

Trent, you have absolutely no idea how lucky you really are.

"But whatever," he added. "I'm not letting it get to me. And you shouldn't either, lover boy."

"…"

"…What?"

"…Nothing. Let's just keep watching." The last thing I wanted to do was start an argument with my pal, but how could he really say that if he really liked her?

We didn't talk a lot after that, though every once in a while if we had something to say, we said it.

"Boy, you lucked out there. Good thing Tyler has crappy aim."

"Holy crap! I missed that?! That was freaking awesome, Cody!"

"Yeah, dude… Didn't you watch these tapes before?"

"…I didn't watch this one…"

"…Oh…"

"Geesh! Owen was like a machine!"

"Oh-ho-ho! Talk about getting payback…"

"Still no red ant farm dumping, though."

"Ah, yes. I heard of that."

"Geez, Cody. Dramatic much?"

"It looks much cooler in the movies, I'll admit."

"You know… I can kinda see why I was voted off, but Heather was being more of an ass than I was, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but I think the biggest thing was 'cause you didn't participate and you didn't seem to care."

"…Ah… I see…"

"…Man, I am so glad Chris cut out our… talk. It _was_ rather personal."

"Yeah, but at least we're past that… right?"

"Of course."

"You know, I'm not gonna lie… after you got voted off, I often imagined what you would say at certain times if you were still on."

"Really? …Why?"

"…I don't know."

"I think Owen's burp should've been in the contest."

"Definitely."

"Dude… what the hell were you thinking, man?"

"I… don't know… Not my best moment, huh?"

"Not by a long shot, buddy."

"Yeah… I hope she forgives me for that."

"You sniffed her hair."

"I know. I just saw it, genius."

"I'm just saying… I'm surprised she didn't punch you in the face."

"Oh, nice job. You and Richard Hatch both."

"Hey! That was mostly HIS splash, you know?"

"Oh, man… why didn't I talk to Gwen right away? Maybe she would've thought of something bad about me to say in her diary and realize it's gone."

"…Man, I thought you were the cheery one."

"…What the hell did Justin do again?"

"I have no clue."

"…I'm not gonna lie… That song is frickin' sappy."

"I thought it was good."

"Yeah, well you're probably just saying that because Gwen liked it."

"N-no… I thought it was good."

"…And then Bridgette blows chunks."

"…Oh, man…"

"Fast forward?"

"Fast forward."

"Thought so."

"Alright, play here. Harold's beat-boxing's pretty sweet."

"Wow… so that's how Justin got canned."

"…PFFT!! Hahahahahahahaha!!! They caught that on film?! Awesome!!"

"Ah, yes… nothing beats a good prank involving red ants."

"You know it!"

When the tape for the talent contest finished, Noah stood up. "Sorry, but I gotta use the restroom. You need anything, Cody?"

I shook my head. "Nope. But if you don't mind, can you put in the next tape for me? I want to keep watching."

He smiled. "Alright." He changed the tapes and pressed play before walking off. "I'll be right back, okay Cody?"

"Sure, dude."

**-X-**

**Alright, maybe not a great place to end the chapter, but I wanted to go over what Cody may have been thinking after looking through all the tapes. Just to get a little more hindsight into it. So far, since none of these episodes were really Cody-centric (really, there's only one "Cody-centric" episode, and that's "Up the Creek"), I didn't go into them much, but I'll have Cody's more in depth thoughts about the whole set of tapes in general after he's done watching them, which will be sometime in the next chapter.**


	26. Recap Pt 2

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Five: Recap, Part 2**_

As I was left on my own to watch the rough cut to The Sucky Outdoors, I soon took notice to the fact that at no point did Chris choose a clip showing me talking. Oh, sure, he ultimately showed not one, but BOTH times I pissed my pants, but I was hoping to at least catch some of the "meaningful" conversations I had that day.

Ah well…

There was a lot of focus on the Bass too. I guess I don't blame them—as interesting as the whole Izzy-Bear thing was, Katie and Sadie getting lost and Bridgette burning down the Bass tent by accident was rather amusing too, despite both normally being terrible mishaps.

I was so focused on the video that I didn't even realize Noah hadn't come back yet from the bathroom until it ended. "Hey, Noah? Where are ya, man?"

I heard fast footsteps behind me after I said that, before seeing the brainiac suddenly appear in my peripheral vision. "S-Sorry about that, I was having some problems…"

"…Do I need to know?"

Noah shook his head and sat down on the couch next to me. "Nah, it's nothing like that. Izzy disguised herself as a man and stole all of the toilet paper in the mens' room, and I didn't notice it until it was too late. Then she came in and said she wouldn't give me any until I admitted I was in love with you—that alone took a half an hour. I just caved in; I don't give a crap anymore…"

"Heh heh heh… Poor Noah…"

"Oh, shut up," he said before realizing the video was actually finished. He got up to switch the tapes, and sat back down. "Izzy's just making it hard for me to repress the memory. At least once the memory is repressed I can deny the whole thing ever happened and we can put it all behind us."

"…But it's already on TV…"

"Oh, come on, these are rough edits. I'm sure Chris isn't going to air the kiss. Think of all the pissed off 'moral' people…"

"…Noah? This is _Chris_ we are talking about."

"Do you mean the guy who would sell his soul to get out of a lawsuit? I agree."

"…He's also the guy who would sell his soul to get high ratings, you know." I reasoned. "Think about it: what do crazy fangirls love the most?"

"Valium?"

"No! Yaoi."

"…Huh… But with geeks like us? I doubt it."

"…You don't have a deviantART account, do you?"

"No, I do not."

With that, we began to (finally) watch the next tape, which was already a few minutes in.

"Ah, yes… the 'phobia' one, AKA Chicken Boy's elimination," Noah noted.

"Yep…"

We once again sat through the video, though this time we simply watched, only talking every once in a while and chuckling at certain humorous moments.

"I bet that explosion was rather… exciting."

"Oh, shut up…"

"Nah, I'm good."

"I still can't believe Chris left Gwen buried alive like that…"

"I can."

"Man, this is sad…"

"I know. You and 'Shawnie' should've been clucking at him instead of Beth."

"Hey! Not cool, man!"

"Hey, it would've made good TV, Codemeister. Much like your little love triangle, which by the way ended in disaster… just like a soap opera, really."

"Egghead."

"Sixteen Candles Rip-Off."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

"You'd think Courtney's biggest fear is failure."

"Funny, considering she could've won it all for her team right there."

"Yeah."

"And yet Tyler walks the Dock."

"Ah well. Really, I don't care if Courtney stays in. I just want Heather to get the boot."

"It's probably not going to happen, Cody."

"…Why is that?"

"Have you ever seen a reality show before?"

"…Good point…"

"Alright, new tape?"

"New tape."

"Okay, but you know what this next one is, right?"

"…Yeah. I know…"

"…Okay…"

So then we began to watch Up the Creek. It didn't start out so bad for me, but after seeing me just pop up behind Gwen, acting all suave and crap… If I could shake my head without feeling an onslaught of pain, I would have. Everything I did… everything I thought looked cool when I did them… looked nothing like how I imagined it. I just looked like some sort of dweebish poser trying to get some girl to notice him.

…Which I guess is what I am anyway, but I didn't like it.

The moments on the canoe upset me. Gwen kept shooting me down and I kept going, like she was actually going to change her mind if I was persistent. Did I forget who she was? The independent thinker? Or did I just think she'd fall for anyone who'd give her the time of day? 'Cause hey—it's not like Goths are notorious for having guys of all shapes and sizes wanting to date them.

God, I was such an ass…

Soon came the moment of truth, and I held my breath. And at the same time, I was afraid. I didn't want to watch this, but at the same time I did.

Then I gave her up; I had mixed feelings watching that. A part of me—no—_most_ of me was happy, because my decision wasn't for my own gain (by far), but hers. But at the same time, there was a part of me that was devastated—horribly, horribly devastated—because of the realization that I would never get to hold her hand, to kiss her, to let her cry on my shoulder, hell, to cry on _hers!_

Never to tell her how much I really… care for her…

Never to prove that I actually do, either.

Noah and I stayed silent after we saw that, both knowing I didn't really want to talk. That was alright, though, since I got to see the thrills of the episode, as well as the unintentional humor surrounding Geoff's "injury", all without interruption.

Of course, that silence wasn't forever.

"Wow… Trent's… pretty overprotective…"

"Hmm?" I wasn't expecting Noah to talk.

"Well, judging by his impulsive action in threatening to beating the crap out of his _buddy_ if he was merely _lying_ about Gwen _liking_ him, one could assume he could be either overprotective or obsessive," Noah explained.

"…Is that a bad thing?" I asked, now worried about the two.

"Not necessarily, but then again it's not necessarily a good thing either. The only way we can know for sure is if we wait and see if any more proof of this theory exists."

I nodded. "Right." Now I was really worried. What if Trent's not the guy we think he is?

…

…Nah, I'm sure he's not like that. This was just a spur of the moment kind of deal. And besides, who'd want someone to lie about a girl he likes liking him? No sane person, that's for sure.

We watched the rest of the episode in silence. We couldn't find anything to say.

But once the tape ended, I could hear a soft voice to my right.

"That was very noble of you, Cody."

"Hmm?"

"Um… What you did… I don't think I'd be able to do that."

"Well, that's because you're the kind of guy to like self-gratification."

"And you're not?"

"…" I couldn't answer that, no matter how hard I tried to. He was right. What I did… I don't even know how I was able to do that… Looking back, it was actually very hard to do—possibly the hardest thing I had ever done…

"…Well, that's it," Noah told me. "We'll have to wait for Chris to bring us the next tape, but it should be coming tonight."

"I can't wait."

"…Really?" Noah asked, surprised at my response. "I'm surprised you'd want to watch that. I sure as hell didn't want to watch mine when I got here."

"…Well, I just really want to see the votes," I explained. "And if there's anything in that cut about them choosing me to vote off, I would like to know why they did it, y'know? I mean, they really could've gotten rid of Heather that time. I wouldn't have minded."

"…So… That's the only reason you didn't want to get voted off? 'Cause Heather stayed on?"

"…No… I also wanted to hang out with my Gopher buds a little longer."

"…So the money didn't mean much to you?"

"Are you kidding? I told you my reason for being here was to meet people. I don't care about the money. In fact, I figured I'd get kicked off eventually anyway." I paused for a moment before continuing my explanation. "…I just wish they would've gotten rid of Heather instead… so they wouldn't have to worry about her anymore…"

"…You mean so _Gwen_ wouldn't have to worry about her anymore?"

"…You can read me like a book."

"Comes from actually _reading_ books, I think."

"Hey, I read books too… just not as often as you do."

"Clearly." I knew he was joking, but I growled at him anyway, and he laughed. "If you're trying to intimidate me, it's not working. Of course, it's hard to be intimidating if you're in a full body cast."

I stuck my tongue out at him, though since I wasn't facing him I was really sticking my tongue out at the television.

Noah got up and walked up behind me. "Alright, what do you want to do now while we wait for Chris and the new video?"

"I don't know… I'm still wondering if I should trust you with pushing me around. You're not going to knock me into the water like Beth did, are you?"

"We'll see…"

**-X-**

**Again, not a great place to end the chapter, but I wanted to separate Noah and Cody's recap of the previous episodes from everyone watching the Paintball episode, so it feels like time has passed since the two moments. Plus this gives me an opportunity to come up with a scene for the rest of the losers at the Playa des Losers.**


	27. True Colors

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Six: True Colors**_

"So, geek boy," Eva addressed me as Noah and I reached our table, "you got a night nurse or something or does one of us have to stick an IV in you tonight?"

I began to panic at the thought of her jamming an IV through my wrist… and out the other side. "N-no, no!" I squeaked. "There's a night nurse coming, don't you worry…"

Izzy began to give me a death glare. "So do you have the hots for this one too?"

"…No. He's a guy."

She cleared her throat and pointed at Noah. "The last time I checked, he was a guy, too. And trust me, I checked. See, I went into his room last night while he was sleeping—"

"Izzy, shut up…" Eva protested.

"Thank you…" Noah mumbled before excusing himself to get some food.

Speaking of which, I looked down at the plates in front of Izzy and Eva. "…You've got to me kidding me! Why couldn't Chef Hatchet serve edible food at Wawanakwa?"

"Because it's Chef," Eva growled.

"Oh, that reminds me," Izzy began, and I knew my ears were in for a long speech, "you're not going to believe this, but I was snooping around the kitchen the other day to study which of the kitchen staff could speak English, and you're not going to believe who was helping them out." She didn't give me time to guess. "ZEKE! Isn't that weird? Why would he help out the kitchen staff? He's a guest here, y'know? I mean, seriously. And why would he do a 'woman's job'? It's just soooooooooo weird! I didn't see that coming for a mile. Nope, not at all. Nada. So… how about this steak? I wonder if Zeke cooked it. Maybe he cooked the whole meal, or he just made all the women do the work and just sprinkle salt on my potatoes."

"Izzy, _you_ sprinkled salt on your potatoes," Eva reminded her.

"…Oh, yeah, yeah. I remember now. But still, isn't that weird?"

"So Homeschool's helping the kitchen staff. Big deal. He's still a sexist bastard."

"Did you ever talk to him?"

Izzy and Eva both stared at me, and I began regretting asking that. After a few seconds of built-up tension, Eva shook her head and continued working at her steak.

"Yo, check it out, guys!" I heard from behind me, and unfortunately no one was there to wheel me around, but I was almost positive it was Tyler speaking. "The new tape came in. So, who's going to the TV room with me?"

"…Um… Can't we eat first?" I heard Katie ask.

"…Darn… You guys always ruin the fun."

"Wait, someone ruined the fun and _I_ had nothing to do with it?"

I chuckled as I suddenly heard Noah's voice amidst the crowd of people I couldn't see. He sat down next to me with a plate of food, food that looked just as delicious as Izzy's and Eva's. And I whined pitifully.

"Oh, suck it up," Noah joked, but I whined louder just to annoy him.

"Aww…" we heard Izzy at the other side of the table. "Don't they make a cute couple?"

-X-

"Alright, everyone here to watch…" Tyler checked the label on the tape, "…uh… Paintball Deer Hunter? Huh… Sounds interesting…"

Nearly all of us (as far as I could tell) were sitting in the TV room, awaiting the recent rough cut of Total Drama Island. Tyler had made sure beforehand if I wanted to see the episode or not, and if I wanted to see the votes. I told him yes to both.

"Wait, wait!" I heard from my left before spotting Ezekiel running past me. He took a seat somewhere to my right. Noah, Izzy, Katie, Justin, and Eva were also… somewhere in this room. I couldn't exactly tell where everyone was, because I didn't want to move my head.

"Alright! Everyone's here! Good, good…" Tyler put the tape in the VCR and pushed Play. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… Paintball Deer Hunter!"

"Yeah, you already told us the name of the episode, genius," said Noah.

"…Oh, screw you…"

"Don't offer that! He'll do it!"

"Shut up, Izzy!"

Then the rough cut began to start. It began with Chris boarding his helicopter, evilly chuckling at the thought of his newest wake-up call. "This'll scare the crap out of them! Hehehehahaha!"

He flew the helicopter over the cabins, scaring the crap out of Duncan (which I found amusing). Honestly, I couldn't help but feel bad for everyone now that they've still got to work with Chris.

Then the girls began lining up at the communal washrooms, and once again Heather was the pain in the ass in this equation. Gwen had offered to go "lumberjack style", and soon afterward I heard:

"Don't get any ideas, Cody. I'm sure they didn't record that."

My eyes widened. "Dude, Noah! What the hell, man?"

"What? What did I do?"

…Oh, crap… That was my inner Noah voice speaking before, wasn't it? "Uh… Sorry… I thought you said something…"

"…Okay… Are you sure you're not on any specific medication, Cody?"

"…Let's just… forget I said anything…"

We continued to watch the episode in silence as Chris explained the rules of the paintball challenge, and the teams were divided up into hunters and deer.

"Hmm… Gwen sure looks hot as a deer, huh Cody?"

I blinked a few times. "Did you say something this time, Noah?"

"Yes. Yes I did. And I said Gwen looks hot as a deer."

"Good. And I agree."

I watched as my group of deer began walking through the woods. Man, I really should've stayed with them. I mean, sure, Heather would split up from the group anyway, but I mean… it wasn't the first time Gwen gave me a death glare, and I still stuck around all those times…

I felt dry heaves begin to build up as Owen "masked his scent." Ugh! Nasty…

But other than that, most of the episode was actually quite amusing, especially Owen's little misadventures. But I still didn't like what Heather was putting Beth through. Heck, I didn't like what Heather was putting _everyone_ through!

Why didn't they just get rid of her when they had the chance?

At one point, the screen cut back to Gwen and Trent. Now, this didn't appear in the final cut, which surprised the heck out of me. Maybe Chris found it too boring? I don't know. But they began talking about how much they can't stand Heather, and how they really wanted to get rid of her… Which is why I ask again: why didn't they?

Then, at one point, the conversation began to be about me…

"Honestly, I would rather have Cody act like Mr. Suave for a week than put up with her another day…"

"Hey, come on, that's our little buddy you're talking about, remember?"

"Trent, _you_ came up with that, okay? Look, I'm grateful that he's helped us out and for all the nice things he's done for me, but honestly… I can't stand him sometimes. He's too… peppy, you know? I mean, I really… I really don't know if this friendship is even going to work out. We're just so… different…"

…

…

…

…

…

"Cody?"

…

…

"Cody!"

…

…

"Oh, crap. Pause the tape. We've lost him. Cody!"

-X-

It took me five minutes before I even made a noise. And that noise was merely a series of small sobs.

Gwen… Gwen didn't like me at all…

She probably got rid of me so she wouldn't have to deal with me anymore…

Man… I felt like crap… No, worse that crap.

For a second, I actually wanted to die.

"Cody! Snap out of it!"

I blinked a few times, feeling tears roll down my face.

"Oh, geez! Cody, snap out of it! Please! Calm down! It's okay!"

It took a moment for me to actually process Tyler's words, and I finally calmed down. "Am… Am I… really… that…"

"No, you are _not_ that bad!" Noah yelled at me. "Not even close, so take a deep breath and calm down!"

I didn't hear anyone else speak. I assumed they were just scared for me.

I didn't blame them.

"Okay… Okay… I'm good…" I'll admit, that wasn't exactly truthful, but I still wanted to see more of the tape. The Gwen I saw just now was nowhere near the Gwen that wheeled me to the can that fateful night.

-X-

My suspicions were correct.

The second I watched myself being wheeled out of the tent, I noticed two people in particular suddenly look like they saw a ghost.

"Oh my God…"

It was my mauling, wasn't it, Gwen? That's what sealed the deal on our friendship, wasn't it? That was the moment you regretted every bad thing you had said about me, because you truly were worried about me. I know you had cared before you said those things on that tape. You wouldn't just lie to me because I suddenly started acting like a good person, no. But you were over the edge. This contest was nipping away at your sanity and you weren't even sure who you could trust. And you certainly weren't sure if you could trust me.

But seeing me in that full body cast, in that wheelchair… that changed everything, didn't it? You no longer saw me as some perverted jackass, did you? No.

They say it's things like that that brings out a person's true colors. You can say you hate someone for years, but when they suddenly die and you show up at their funeral, you begin to regret saying those things. And when that casket gets lowered into its grave you begin to wonder what could've been if you had only given that person a chance. Death, illness, major injuries… they all tend to bring out another person's true colors.

So I guess I have someone new to thank. Thank you, bear, for beating the crap out of me.

It was just before suppertime on the video. This didn't make the final cut either, but I didn't expect it to either. Chris probably found meetings like this rather boring, and he also wouldn't want to spoil anything without adding some sort of twist into it.

"Alright, y'all know where I stand on this," Leshawna had told the four before her. "Heather's goin', goin', gone."

"I shecond that," Beth agreed. "What about you guysh?"

Gwen had stayed silent for a few seconds, but finally answered. "I'm voting off Cody."

The rest of the group, aside from Owen, looked at her like she was crazy. "Say what now?" Leshawna asked.

"You saw what happened to him, right?" Gwen inquired, and they nodded. "It's bad enough he has to deal with… you know… seeing me everyday, but he also keeps getting hurt… _bad_…"

"But… he wantsh to shee you everyday," Beth said. "He likesh you."

"Exactly! Look, I've been thinking ever since the incident… I was a jerk to him even before he started acting all… macho to me. I've been probably hurting him more than the bear did! And besides… what if he gets mauled again? Do you think he'll actually survive next time?"

Owen was quick to agree. "Yeah… he's like a pain magnet… or whatever you call it…"

"Well, I'm not voting him off!" Beth shouted. "I don't care what you guysh shay. We should be voting off Heather and you know it!"

"We'll vote her off next time," Trent assured. "Besides, I agree with Gwen. Cody doesn't deserve any more of Chris's bad stunts. We're just looking out for him."

"But what if there ishn't a next time?" Beth tried to reason. "What if shomething happensh and Heather shtaysh on for the whole sheashon?"

"Pfft! Like that will happen," Leshawna disagreed. "Girl's got enemies all over."

"…So, do we have your vote?" Gwen asked.

"…I hate to do this to my Shorty, but I agree with y'all. It's for the best. I don't want the poor guy to hurt anymore either."

Beth shook her head. "Well, I'm not. I'm shtill voting for Heather, and if you guysh don't want to vote with me, it'll be your burden, not mine."

"Cryptic much, girl?" Leshawna asked her.

Trent looked over to Gwen. "So… you sure you want to do this?"

Gwen shook her head. "To be honest, I really don't know…"

I continued to watch the screen in awe at what just happened. Sure, it proved that I was right, but it was still so surreal… Gwen didn't actually vote me off because I was injured. It wasn't my physical body she was protecting.

It was my heart.

She was protecting my heart.

And as grateful as I was for the gesture, I had to say… that it was for naught. If you wanted me to finally let it go, to finally move on to someone else… it didn't exactly work, did it? I still can't hold down a relationship for more than a month. I get my heart broken virtually every week. And God knows I still think about you everyday.

Gwen, you really could've gotten rid of Heather back then, and it wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference.


	28. Tutoring Ezekiel

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Tutoring Ezekiel**_

"It's been a few days since the last challenge," Noah noted the next morning at breakfast. "I wonder if today's challenge day for the poor bastards."

"I thought you wanted to stay in the contest," I pointed out, much to his chagrin.

"Oh, please…" he began, and I knew I was in for a long reply. "These challenges are nothing more than ridiculous tests of 'endurance'. No problem solving required. Besides, you should be happy that I'm not in the contest anymore. My strategy would've probably been much similar to Heather's."

"…Sooooooo… You were only pretending to be my best friend?"

Noah gave me an unreadable look. "Not _that_ similar. I wouldn't stoop _that_ low… at least not for a contest like this. Now, if it were an academic bowl or something I would be sure to ace, then maybe…"

I took no offense to that. Though I wasn't sure if he was joking or not, I still thought his answer was amusing.

"You know, kid," Eva's voice suddenly found my ears, "in all honesty, I am surprised at you. Just yesterday you looked like you were gonna die, and now you're looking cheery as ever. What the hell's your secret, kid?"

"…I dunno." I wasn't really quite sure how to answer that.

"HEY YOU GUYS CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!"

…

"…Was that Izzy?" I found myself asking. I was wondering where she had run off to.

"NO SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS CHECK THIS OUT!!! THERE'S A DOLPHIN DRIVING A DELIVERY TRUCK!!! IT'S FREAKING AWESOME!!!"

"…Do we dare?" Noah asked, and I didn't respond. I couldn't. I was still wondering how a dolphin would be able to grip the steering wheel of the damn truck.

"OH COOL IT WENT UNDER THE OCEAN!!! I WANT TO GO UNDER THE OCEAN TOO!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" **Splash.**

"…Is she finally gone forever?" Noah mumbled.

I gasped. "Noah! Izzy may be a lot to handle, but that's not cool, man."

"And neither is degrading someone by accusing them of having another sexual orientation in an offensive manner, but we tend to get that a lot, don't we?"

"…Yeah…but that doesn't mean I want her to go away forever. She's still a good person."

"Define 'good.'"

"Oh, joy…" Eva's voice suddenly spoke out again, and I perked up.

"What?" I asked, before becoming aware of another person sitting next to me.

"Ooh, hey, Eva… Um… Doon't mind me, eh. I just wanted to talk to… um… Coody, is it?"

I glanced over to my addresser, catching him in the corner of my eye. "Hey, Zeke. What's the haps?"

"…Huh?"

"How goes it?"

"…Huh?"

"…What's on your mind?"

"Ooh. Um… I knoow this is goonna sound weird, eh, boot… uh… can you teach me to be… 'cool'?"

Quite frankly, I was shocked that he even came to me for advice (I mean, I'm in a full body cast for crying out loud!), but I felt like I should help him out. But before I could, Eva turned him down for me. "Like you'd ever be cool anyway, Homeschool. Go away."

I glared at her, and she glared back at me, scaring me a little bit. "Um… Maybe later, Ezekiel. I'm actually… a little tired…" Well, that wasn't exactly a lie, but I still felt bad for turning the poor guy down. And it's not like I had anything better to do around here. Dang, what would I even be able to do in my condition?

"Ooh. Okay, eh." Then, he disappeared from my sight.

It wasn't five seconds later that I found a fist in my face. "Don't think I won't beat the snot out of a cripple. You're going to help that _sexist pig_ out, after all he said about women?!"

Though I admit I flinched a few times during that… nice, subtle warning, I held my ground. "Eva, if you beat the crap out of me, you're only proving him right."

…Oh, crap! What the hell did I just say?!

But surprisingly, Eva backed down. "…Eh, you're right."

Hmm… That was easy…

"…But if you start agreeing with him, I'll pound you into sawdust."

"Hey, hey," I began as my defensive mode kicked in. "Do you honestly think that I, of all people, think guys are stronger than girls? I mean, crap, look at me, and look at you. I think it's a pretty safe bet that you're stronger than I am."

"…Hmm…" Eva began rubbing her chin in a "sophisticated" manner, as if she were in deep thought. "Well, what about guys being smarter than girls? Do you believe that?"

"Um… well… I believe it's relative," I told her. "Everyone knows different things than others. Just because your IQ is high doesn't necessarily mean you're smarter than someone with a lower IQ. That person with a high IQ may not know how to make a bottle rocket, play a complex videogame, or fix a car, but the person with the lower IQ may know how to do those things. So really… how do we know who's smarter than whom?"

"…Okay, I'm not going to lie… I got a little lost there for a moment. But I think I know what you're saying." She turned to the young man to my left and crossed her arms. "You could learn a thing or two from your 'better half.' …Izzy's words, by the way."

I chuckled as I heard Noah's groans. Well, at least _I'm_ the better half…

-X-

I stayed true to my word later that day.

Being in the condition I'm in didn't really help with my tutoring all that much, but I was able to give Ezekiel a few pointers—pointers that I think he may have taken… a little _too_ far… but I'm getting a little ahead of myself here.

"Okay, one of the best ways to be more socially accepted is to see what other people are into, and join in on it," I explained. "Like for example, videogames. Despite the fact that there are many people out there that believe it's just a waste of time, it's one of the biggest markets out there, and that's because it's something that's compatible with most people. Sports fans have sports games, fans of animated television shows have crappy five-minute novelty games, people who like to exercise have exercise games, et cetera, et cetera."

"Ooh. Soo… what kinds of videogames would you recommend foor me, eh?"

"…Um… Tetris?"

"…I'm soorry?"

"Tetris," I repeated. "It's a game that pretty much anyone can figure out how to play. Oddly enough, it's still quite fun, and very time-consuming at times."

"Ooh. That sounds like a game foor me then, eh."

-X-

"Ookay, soo what kinds of music do most kids listen to?"

"Oh, you know… rap, hip hop, rock…"

"…"

"…What?"

"Thoose are types of music?"

"…Yeah."

"…Huh. Soonds like actual woords, eh."

"…They actually are."

"Huh. Well, what aboot country and hymns, eh?"

"…Well, I suppose kids listen to them sometimes, but it's usually one of the aforementioned three that most cool kids listen to."

"Huh. Um… So, what is rap?"

"It's like… really fast talking with catchy artificial music in the background.

"Huh. And hip hop?"

"It's sorta like rap, but slower and is more likely to involve actual singing."

"Huh. And rock?"

"…Seriously?"

"My parents doon't let me listen to much music, eh, 'cept for country and hymns."

-X-

"Okay, I think that's all for today… uh… but I got to ask… Zeke, why do you want to know all this?"

He looked away. "Um… It's just… I kinda was hooping to make friends here—I figured might as well, eh—but… it didn't quite woork out that way, and I thought that maybe if I learned to be cool like you people would respect me moore, eh."

I frowned. That's what this was about? Why didn't he tell me this before? "Look… Zeke, man… Trust me, you don't want to be like me. I mean, heck! I'm in a body cast, dude!"

He shook his head. "Noo… being myself hasn't been woorking any better, eh."

"Oh…" Damn… I didn't know what to say to that… especially since I fall victim into it all the time. "Um… well… I'm your friend, aren't I?"

He looked at me, smiling a little. "Really?"

"Sure, why not?"

His grin widened. "Um… thanks, Coody."

"No problem, dude. Now, if you don't mind, can you wheel me back to the others?"

So, yeah. I guess I kinda was the reason for Ezekiel's eventual "hip-hop" phase, and I still apologize for that. But it was kinda hard to convince him to turn away from that, considering the fact that… well, like I said. I fall victim to the popular world all the time. Sure, sometimes I get wake-up calls, as you've seen, but sometimes those wake-up calls don't last very long. I still sometimes drift back to sleep.

-X-

That night, I was watching Noah, Tyler, and Justin play War, which upset me because I really wanted to play.

Not long into the game, Katie had called to the rest of us, saying that the newest member of the "Losers Club" had just arrived (the name having been given to us by the ever-so-kind Chris Maclean).

I couldn't turn to see who it was, but a few seconds later I had a pretty good guess as the familiar onslaught of pain caused via bearhug soon came upon me and a lisping voice soon spoke.

"CODY! How are ya? I misshed you sho much!"

"…It's only… been three days, Beth."

"…Oh yeah…"

"…Beth… pain…"

"Oh, shorry!" She let go of me, and I felt much better as the pain lifted.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry you lost."

"Eh, that'sh okay. At leasht I'm away from Heather."

"…Well, that's one good way to look at it."

**-X-**

**Yeah, not the best way to end a chapter, but I didn't really have any ideas for this little "reunion" of sorts. I apologize if the sudden close is off-putting. I'm trying my best here—it's only going to get harder on me for… virtually the rest of the fic. Or at least while Cody's still in the body cast.**

**I'll try to keep it from getting boring, though.**


	29. Greener Pastures

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Greener Pastures**_

Seventeen hours.

It had been seventeen hours since Beth arrived at the Playa des Losers.

Why was I counting?

Because in the past seventeen hours she had volunteered to be a nurse. No, not a C.N.A. that knows how to poke IVs in you or anything… just a "I will wheel you everywhere I want to go and talk to you about whatever I want to talk about and you have no say in the matter" nurse.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Beth. In fact, she's a really good friend, and a real sweetheart. But… I'm not the kind of guy that wants to hear about a pig giving birth every five minutes… If she wants to talk about something like that to somebody, why not Zeke? He's a farm boy.

But no. Something told her that I was interested in hearing about afterbirth shooting out of a pig. And if I could move my arms, I would punch that something.

We were in the outdoor pool area. I began to distract myself by watching Katie, who was at the pool-side "bar", having another Sadie-withdrawal moment.

I felt bad for her. She and Sadie were really close (obviously), and I could only imagine the pain going through both of their hearts right now…

"Um… Cody? Are you lishtening to… oh… oh, I get it…"

"Hmm?" Beth's voice had broken me from my thoughts.

"It'sh Katie, ishn't it? You like her, don'tchu?"

_That_ caught me by surprise. "Not really, no."

"Yeah. Right. It'sh okay, Cody. I undershtand. I'm jusht not ash pretty ash shome of the other girlsh, huh?"

I sighed. Here we go. "Look… Beth… I get it. You like me. And really, I like you too, as much as a guy can like a girl that almost _drowned him in the lake_," I made sure this was emphasized for a reason, "but I just… don't like you that much. I'm sorry, but maybe you should find someone else."

Immediately, I felt guilty—no, not for Beth's sake, as selfish as that may make me, but because it made me feel like a hypocrite. I couldn't let go of Gwen; how could I expect Beth to let go of me? Though I will admit I didn't even get the impression that she liked me until I saw my elimination on the tape.

An awkward silence followed. Now I never liked awkward silences, but at least this one gave me a chance to think about what to say. And I finally did: "Maybe you should set your sights a little… higher."

"…What do you mean?"

"Well…" I thought for a moment, "…is there anyone else you like?"

"…I dunno… Jushtin?"

"Well, there you go!" I gave her a smirk. "I hear he's single."

She laughed. "Yeah, right… like I'd ever get a chanshe at Justin."

"Don't sell yourself short, Beth," I said, trying to reason with her. "Justin's narcissistic. I bet he'd never get involved with someone… hotter than him," I was trying to use my words carefully, "because then he'd… uh… look worse by comparison, you know? He probably just wants a normal, non-flashy, down-to-earth girl."

"…You think sho?"

"Yeah!" I exclaimed, feeling the self-esteem rise around the two of us. "And hey, if he doesn't work out, try Ezekiel. He lives on a farm, too. You probably have a lot in common."

"Oh, I dunno… Ezekiel shaid thoshe mean thingsh that firsht day…"

"…Oh…" Right. I forgot. The girls aren't exactly fond of Ezekiel. "Well… I hope things work out then with you and Justin."

Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, but this time it wasn't a bone-crushing hug. "Thanksh, Cody. You're the coolesht."

…

…I am?

…

I am, aren't I?

…

…Beth?

…

…Damn, she left me here, didn't she?

"Ugh…"

"Hey, need someone to wheel you back?"

I looked up and smiled. "Oh, hey, Katie. You're looking better than you were."

"I am, actually. Thank you." She walked behind me, and soon after I began to move. "So… you're a little matchmaker, aren'tcha?"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Beth."

"Ah."

"You know… I think someone should make it up to you. I mean, you like a girl, and you match her up with another guy, and then a girl likes you, and you match her up with another guy… I think you should get matched up with a girl sometime."

I attempted to shrug, but I couldn't move my arms. "Well… when I find the right one, I find the right one, I guess…"

"Well…" I won't lie, the sing-song tone in her voice concerned me a little, "If you want, I can match you up with someone."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, no… it's not necessary."

"Come on, at least hear me out."

I sighed. "Alright. Who?"

"Sadie?"

…Should've guessed.

"Before you say anything, I think it could work out. Seriously! I mean, you're cute, she's cute, you're smart, she's smart, you're sweet, she's sweet… I think it could work."

"…"

"…Well?"

"…I'm cute?"

I heard a giggle, and I smiled. "Of course, silly! You're so cute." She lightly pinched one of my cheeks, and I chuckled. "I think you two will be great."

"…Thanks, Katie."

"Hee hee… no problem, Cody."

-X-

I don't regret that decision. No, not by far.

Sadie is a wonderful girl when you get to know her. Sure, she and Katie together can be quite a handful, but there's a whole lot more to them than what most people see. As air-headed as they (well, Katie, mostly—I think half the time Sadie just goes along with it) can be, they can actually be pretty smart and thoughtful.

And if you ask me, my relationship with her was the closest one I had to a relationship that actually worked out.

But I'm getting ahead of myself again.

-X-

"Alright, dudes!" I heard Tyler shout, once again holding a videotape over his head. "New episode of Total Drama Island here!"

I chuckled. "Man, who was this excited about the tapes _before_ Tyler got here?"

"No one," Katie said with a giggle. "Actually, he was the first one to start watching the tapes, at least as far as I know. I didn't know about the tapes, and I think everyone else didn't really want to watch them at first, but Tyler kinda got us pumped to watching them."

"Huh… I wonder why he's so excited about them."

"I think it's because he gets to see Lindsay," she explained.

"Oh… duh. That makes sense." Seriously, people definitely don't give Katie (or Sadie, for that matter) enough credit. I didn't even think about that for a second… Ever since she started sitting with our little "crew" in the cafeteria yesterday (after she decided to be my "matchmaker"), she's surprised me with her knowledge of romance and relationships. If only I had that kind of knowledge, maybe I'd have better luck out there in the dating world.

So, we met up in the TV room yet again, waiting for Tyler to pop in the next video. Apparently, Chris was still coming up with a title for the episode—it said "Working Title – Whatcha Got Cookin'?" on it.

Boy, I really hope they don't use that…

Tyler was about to press play…

**CRASH!**

What the hell?!

"Did I miss anything?" Izzy kipped up onto her feet, surprisingly not getting any severe cuts from the glass shards of the window she had just jumped in through.

"…How did you kno—?" Noah was cut off by more of Izzy's rambling.

"Sorry I'm late. The dolphin driving the semi truck ate my skirt so I had to get him to cough it up… but he wouldn't give it up, so I'm going to have to buy a new one… damn…"

"…So that's why you're in your underwear?"

I laughed, now noticing Izzy's skirt was missing (when you can only see someone from out of the corner of your eye, you usually don't pay attention to detail very well).

"So, everyone here?" Tyler asked cautiously. "Just making sure—don't want anyone breaking through windows during the episode. No? Alright."

He pushed play, and the episode began…

**-X-**

**Love it? Hate it? Say whatchu want about it. (All of the boys and all of—okay, this joke was absolutely terrible, and I'm sorry you had to deal with it).**

**Anyway, I know the chapter is somewhat on the short side, but I didn't want to start the "episode commentary" near the end of a chapter only to split it up and do the rest of it in the next. Might as well keep it together, eh?**

**And the Cody/Sadie thing is really a gift for a friend… okay, a request… okay, a demand. Anyway, I hope I do a good job with it. I don't want to disappoint my friend. XD**


	30. All in Good Taste

**Just to make things clear, what I said about my friend (about him "demanding" the request) was just a joke. He took it seriously at first, and I apologized to him. So just in case any of you took it seriously too, he didn't demand it. It was just a request.**

**Alright, now on to the chapter.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Nine: All in Good Taste**_

"Look at Duncan, so macho and crap. I can take him."

I blinked a few times. "…I'd pay to see that, Tyler."

"What, you don't think I can do it?"

"No, I mean, I'd pay to see you beat him up."

"Oh."

"EWW!!" That's from Katie. "Omigawd, omigawd, omigawd! Harold left his underwear on the FLOOR?! That is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO gross!"

"Wow," Noah remarked. "Who knew DJ had it in him to be a part of a prank war."

"How do you know it's going to be a prank war?" I asked.

"Just look at the other two in the group."

"Ah."

The screen changed to Chris, who seemed to be waiting for the other campers.

"Ugh… the guy's so full of himself; watching himself wait for the contestants to appear," Noah scoffed. "I tell ya, the guy's asking to be cancelled if he thinks just watching him all day will score ratings."

"Amen to that, Noah."

Once the remaining campers were on the beach, Chris explained the challenge.

"…W-what?"

My eyes darted around as much of the room as I could see. Who said that?

"Yo, Zeke, what's wrong?" I heard Tyler ask.

"Why cooldn't they have doone a cookin' coontest in the first episoode, eh? I'da bean good at it. And noo one wooulda hated me."

Tyler paused the tape. "Zeke, the others..." he paused; I assumed it was because he didn't want to say "hated", especially because of the words he chose, "didn't really like you because of those bad things you said about girls."

"Boot... boot what aboot the others, eh?" he defended himself. "There were a loot of things bein' said that I thought were much woorse."

"Just keep digging your ditch deeper and deeper, Homeschool," Eva growled.

"No, serious, eh. Think aboot it. In the episode with the red balls, Tyler said somethin' aboot someone playing like a girl, but if I recall coorrectly, the girls were doin' a pretty durn good job at that game."

Tyler and Eva didn't respond, and neither did anyone else, so Ezekiel continued.

"And what aboot the guy in the hat? 'Wow, yoou pitch a tent like a guy?' Soounds pretty mean to me, eh."

"Um, actually... no, never mind." I stopped myself. I was going to explain the joke to Zeke, but I felt it wasn't needed. It'd be best to let him have his moment.

And I'm pretty sure everyone knew he was right, because no one said anything after that. Not until Tyler finally decided to continue the tape, anyway. But the subject was lost.

On screen, Geoff became head chef for the Bass, and right away Heather called head chef for the Gophers.

"Of course," Noah grumbled.

"She's gonna run her team into the ground," Tyler adds.

"That would explain why Beth is here."

"Where is Beth anyway?"

I answered that. "Beth didn't want to watch the tape."

"Ah. I understand."

"Wow..." I said, astonished. "The Bass are getting along much better than the Gophers."

"So you'd rather be a Bass?" Noah asked with a smirk.

"Hell no. Duncan scares me."

The Gophers reached the kitchen, and in no time at all Owen caused trouble. He spilled some of the oranges he was carrying, tripped, and fell on most of them.

"Ouch, eh."

"Nicely put, Zeke."

"Man, that witch is annoying."

"Noah!"

"...I said 'witch'."

"Ahahahahahahahaha! Harold, you stud, you!"

"Please tell me he's not going to wear that."

"OUCH! Poor Owen."

"I hate bee stings, eh."

"...She's not watching the knife. That's smart. What if she cuts off her fingers? Good luck hanging ten then."

"Wow, Noah, you're really mean. Like my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great uncle, twice removed."

"Shut up, Izzy."

On screen, Geoff made a major faux pas, at least as far as "trying to hook up with a girl" goes. And trust me, I know what that's like.

Funny, when you think about it, he was as lovestruck and freaky as I was, yet he got the girl. It's weird... but then again, Bridgette and Gwen aren't exactly the same person either. And for that matter, Geoff and I aren't either.

Plus, Bridge didn't exactly have her eyes on anyone...

...Oh, before we go any further, some things the others said about that faux pas:

"OOH! Bad!" Tyler.

"Tough break, Casanova." Noah.

"What? What'd he do?" Ezekiel.

After that scene, the fun suddenly stopped.

A certain couple was now on the screen.

Sigh. Lucky bastard...

...Well, at least that's what I thought in that first moment. But that thought was about to change very dramatically in a few seconds.

The door to the kitchen opened, and my sour mood turned upside down, and I giggled at Owen's bee stings. Not that I would want that to happen to me, but it looked funny.

"Trent! Heads up!"

CRASH!!

"Oh-ho-ho!" Tyler and Noah laughed in unison.

"That had to hurt, eh."

The footage went back to the Bass, where Duncan and Courtney were exchanging wit, causing many of us to roll our eyes. Suddenly, the door opened, and Harold entered.

Tyler couldn't stop laughing.

"Well, there's a great sight," Noah said with a smirk.

"Well, at least it's not Owen, right?" I replied.

"...True."

Izzy added her two cents as well, "Betcha wish it was Cody instead, Noah."

"Shut. Up. Izzy."

"IZZY WILL NOT BE SILENCED!!!"

"I agree with Noah," Eva said. "Izzy, shut up."

"...Okay."

On screen, Heather began to complain about Beth's pineapple cutting skills, and told her to switch places with Leshawna.

Ugh. "...Man, why didn't they vote her off instead?"

"Hmm?" I apparently now had Noah's attention.

I explained. "When they voted me off, they could've gotten rid of her."

"They had plenty of opportunities to," Tyler replied.

"Not really," Noah argued. "Only four, I believe. Still... I hope they get their act together soon, or they may end up putting up with her all season."

I chuckled. "Oh, come on. They're not THAT stupid."

"Don't be so sure..."

The video cut to Harold, who was still being picked on by Geoff, DJ, and Duncan.

"I can't believe they're still hammering the dude," Tyler said in disbelief. "Wasn't he the one that won the first two challenges for our team?"

"Man, cases like these never end well," Noah added. "Trust me. One of these days, if this keeps happening, Harold's gonna snap and do something he's going to regret."

"I wouldn't blame him," I replied. "Poor guy."

The famous hot sauce scene played.

"Oh yeah, he's gonna snap someday," Noah repeated. "I would've already after that."

"...Hey, it's Lindsay!" Tyler shouted happily, probably unaware we could hear him.

I don't blame him though; I had to refrain from saying "...Hey, it's Gwen!"

Tyler continued. "Alright, I'm no cook, but even I know you have to light it."

"...Isn't she your girlfriend?" Noah asked with a smirk.

"...Yeah..."

BOOM!!

"Whoa!" Tyler started another giggle fit.

"A little too much fluid on that flambé?" Noah added.

"I'm assuming that's not supposed to happen?" Katie asked. "And why doesn't she just get the make-up bag herself?"

"Because it's Heather," Noah responded.

"...Oh yeah..."

"Okay, seriously, I'm starting to agree with Cody... they left her on... why?" Tyler asked. No one answered. I assumed they all agreed with Noah.

"Ugh! It's like I'm on a team of losers!" Heather shouted on screen.

"You're the one with no eyebrows," I said, chuckling.

Ezekiel chuckled as well. "Yeah..."

Then Harold appeared on screen, now wearing PJs.

"I wish he wasn't picked on so much, eh," Ezekiel commented. "They're such jerks."

Katie scoffed. "Says the sexist."

"Hey, hey, hey," Tyler butted in. "Weren't you paying attention to what he was saying earlier?"

"...Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry, Zeke, I... OHMAHGAWD!! EEEEEEWWWWW!!! He was eating his underwear?!"

"And it tasted like sweat and lotion? UGH!" Eva gagged.

"Bad mental images all around," Noah added.

"Yet Sadie seems to be amused," I pointed out. Really, it was because Katie seemed so grossed out by it, but after I thought about it, I began to think... when they're apart, which was very rarely, are they always exactly the same? Do they act differently when they're apart and similarly when together?

Hmm...

...Holy crap! Owen!

"Man, those bees must love him," Noah chuckled.

Owen somehow made it back to the kitchen, where he fell, letting go of the make-up bag, which found Leshawna, who proceeded with Beth and Lindsay in playing Monkey in the Middle with Heather. Lindsay throws the bag into the fridge, and Heather runs after it, before being locked in by Leshawna.

We were speechless; the awesome thing that we had just witnessed was too awesome for words... until Tyler and Noah, in unison, said only one word, which summed it all up rather well:

"Ni-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ice..."

**-X-**

**And let's stop right there. Thanks again, those of you who love this fic. I'm sorry if it feels that I jumped the shark. Commentary and PdL moments centering around a boy confined in a wheelchair is tough to pull off well with a fic like this and an author like me. XD So, thank you very much for bearing with me.**


	31. That's Cold, Bro

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty: That's Cold, Bro**_

On screen, it was finally time for the real part of the challenge: where Chris eats the food the contestants made. Of course, HE gets to eat...

...Wait... Leshawna didn't say what I thought she said, did she?

Apparently, I wasn't the only one that caught it. "'Owen, guard the food'?" I heard Noah say. "Yeah, he'll guard it alright. In his stomach."

A chuckle from Ezekiel later, we saw Heather trying to draw eyebrows in the freezer. "She looks rather handsome," Tyler commented, earning a giggle from everyone in the room.

It wasn't very long until our giggles turned to groans. "I knew it. I told you, didn't I? He's going to eat their food."

"I didn't disagree with you, Noah," I responded.

"The hoost guy seems to like the Bass' food, eh," Ezekiel commented next. "I guess they didn't need me after all." No one replied to that; there wasn't really anything to add.

But that didn't mean we kept quiet.

"Oh, dear God! What the hell happened in there?!"

"Did Jason kill Owen?"

"Good Lord!"

"Oop, no, he's alive. At least until Leshawna kills him."

"Oh, my God, right to the bone."

"Noo, there's soomething still oon there, eh."

"Well, at least Chris won't have to worry about carbs."

"Carbs? He ate, like, one bite of everything!"

"Celebrities, man. If they eat, they lose their jobs."

"Hmm... maybe custard IS everything."

"Boy, Gwen sure looks cute right now, huh Cody?"

"Very funny. But yes, she--Oh, shoot."

"They're screwed."

"Screwed? They're royally bo--"

"Oh, God! Chris is choking!"

"Ha ha--I mean, oh, gee, that's bad..."

"Owen for the win."

"How did he get rid oof all thoose bee stings?"

"Heh heh... Heather's still in there?"

"Nice."

"Oh, man, I can't wait to see--HOLY CRAP!"

"I'm blue, ba-da-dee-da-doo-die..."

"Blue streak, speeds by..."

"Huh?"

"..."

"Noo, really, I doon't knoo what you two are singin', eh."

"...Oh dear..."

"The tiki idol."

"The source of all damnation. No, not really, though perhaps it's the source of all damnation that Beth bestowed on the Gophers two episodes ago."

"Again, this is probably why she didn't want to be here."

"True."

"...Aww..."

"What's wrong, Cody?"

"That sucks that the Gophers didn't get the five-star dinner."

"...Why does it make a difference if she gets it or not? You're not there anyway."

"I didn't say it was just because I wanted Gwen to win the dinner."

"I never mentioned Gwen."

"You said 'she'."

"Cody, look on the bright side: look who DID win the five-star dinner."

"...Oh. You're right, Katie."

"What? Who are you talking about?"

"Nothing, Noah."

"...Oh sure, leave me out in the dark. Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome."

"That was SARCASM, Cody!"

"I know."

We were, for the most part, silent for the rest of the episode. At a particular moment, we had no idea of the foreshadowing in Heather's threat to Lindsay--how could we know? But if we had known, we would've looked on this moment and laughed, but right now the only things going through our minds (or at least mine) was shock and anger at Heather's proposal to cut off all of Lindsay's hair.

The tape ended with Beth walking down the Dock of Shame (the outdoor bed prank was in the next episode's tape, even though Chris ultimately ended up putting it at the end of this one). If I could've shaken my head, I would've. Heather should've gone home. They could've gotten rid of Beth next week if the curse was real and they would continue to lose challenges. But no. They kept her in. And I had a feeling that this was not the last time they'd miss an opportunity to can her.

An even worse thought suddenly blew through my mind at that moment.

What if Heather wins?

...

Oh, man... everything would've been in vain if she did. I knew they wanted to vote Heather off after me. They didn't. And something tells me they'll continue to hold it off for some other ridiculous reason or another.

She will win if this keeps up...

-X-

I had a hard time sleeping the night before. Sure, the physical pain was a factor, though the painkillers were doing their job for the most part. No, it was because I was worried. Worried about my team. Worried about Gwen. Worried about Sadie. Well, worried about everyone, really. Except Heather, though she was the reason why I was worried. That and the bears... and Chef... and Chris...

I sat at the table, groaning slightly at the fact that everyone was able to eat breakfast but me. It was torture! I wanted to eat! I mean, damn, man! You've seen the crap we've been fed on the show! And now I'm at a place that serves FOOD, and I can't eat any of it!

Maybe it's karma. Yeah, it probably is. I sniffed Gwen's hair, and now I can't eat. Makes perfect sense to me.

For the most part, nothing interesting was happening today. Izzy was nowhere to be found... again. Noah was being his typical cynical self. It was just an ordinary day.

Until...

"Chris, what are you doing here?" My ears perked up at Tyler's inquiry. Chris was here?

Damn, and I can't turn myself around either.

"Yep, it's me in the flesh." I couldn't see him, but I could only imagine he was posing in some sort of narcissistic way. Good ol' theatrical Chris, always having to be the center of attention.

"...You didn't answer my question."

"I'm getting there, slick, hold on. First off, where's Katie?"

"She told us she was going to the bathroom," Tyler said. "Why, what happened?"

"Oh, nothing." I didn't hear anyone speak after that, but from the sounds of Chris's footsteps I could only imagine he was looking for Katie.

My suspicions were confirmed about a minute later when we heard a girl shriek. No way... he didn't...

I heard faster footsteps this time. Two sets, too.

"CHRIS, DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO KNOCK?!"

"GEEZ!! I'M SORRY!! Don't get your panties up in a bunch, damn." I chuckled a little, now having a good idea what happened. "Okay, so anyway, I need you to come with me. See, sometimes we like to do this thing where, say, we order some crates of chickens or something in case a certain event happens, and--Tyler, quit giving me that look--anyway, you're needed."

"Oh... alright, fine. But you are sooooooooooooooooo gonna get it if you walk in on me in the bathroom again, you rotten pervert. I mean, really, couldn't you hear what I was doing outside the door?"

"Sound proof bathrooms."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We thought Owen would've been voted out early."

"Huh..."

"Yeah."

"Still..."

"Yeah, my bad."

"Totally."

I heard the door open and close again, and from how quiet it had gotten in the room I assumed Chris and Katie had left.

At first I was confused. What exactly did he need Katie for?

It took a few seconds, but it came to me.

No... don't tell me she... Already?

I mean, I'm immobile, for crying out loud! How is a relationship supposed to work out when you're confined in a wheelchair?

I'd need a miracle for this relationship to work if I can't even move...

Well, no point in not trying.

I didn't get to see them return. It was dark out, and my nurse for the night had already gotten me in bed.

That's alright though. I knew I'd get to see her tomorrow.

I couldn't sleep that night either. But for a whole new reason this time.

Sadie...

It was weird. That first week of TDI when Owen asked me if I would date either of them, and I said I didn't want to break them up... I had no idea that one of them would one day hook me up with the other. Did it upset me that it was the big one? Hell no. The thought didn't even cross my mind. Besides, if you ask me, she's very pretty. And if you don't agree with me, try looking at a girl's face for once instead of her body. And if you still don't agree with me, then... well... maybe I don't have to agree with you. How about that?

Well, whether you do or not, it makes no difference. I still had something to look forward to tomorrow.

And who knows? Maybe my mind will finally be off of Gwen.

Talk about wishful thinking, huh?

-X-

Remember that dream I used to have on the island? Funny, I had a new one that night that was quite similar.

It was down to Gwen and me, like all the other dreams like it, and yet again I was eliminated.

I stood up, and much to my surprise, Gwen and I embraced. No, nothing romantic or anything, just a friendly embrace. It surprised me, but at the same time, I couldn't help but smile. Friendship: that's all I wanted from her at this point. I knew I could be nothing more, and I was happy to just be that much.

But that wasn't all there was to this dream.

We separated, and I walked to the dock. Nothing too out of the ordinary, except...

"Bye, Cody."

I smiled. "I may be out of the competition, Sadie, but this isn't goodbye."

-X-

Cliché, yes, but I did wake up before our lips met.

I wasn't sure if I'd even get that luxury in my current predicament. I wasn't exactly looking my greatest at the moment, with all these bandages, broken bones, and scratches.

But, I guess I'll find out today.

Speak of the devil. No, it wasn't her, it was Katie who entered my room with the nurses. Great timing, by the way. But I knew why she was here, and I took a breath. I didn't get to see Sadie the night before, and Katie was going to properly introduce me to her.

I was nervous. No doubt about it.

But luckily, it wouldn't last.


	32. Off to a Good Start

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-One: Off to a Good Start**_

Up to that point, I had not been properly introduced to Sadie. In fact, I knew nothing about her! Really, the only clear memory I had of her before that day was her clinging onto the dock when Katie was voted off.

But that day...

That day I was going to start creating a hell of a lot more memories of her. Some good, some not so good, but memories nonetheless. And what do I mean by "not so good"? ...Well, that's what this long-ass flashback is for, isn't it?

I took a deep breath as Katie wheeled me out of my bedroom. This was it...

I shut my eyes tight, swallowing hard. The suspense was too much.

...What? Damn, let this happen to you and see how you react.

Then... I heard a squeal.

And it wasn't Katie.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I heard Katie's voice. "Sadie, Cody, I know you two have already met... sorta... but yeah! Sadie, this is Cody; Cody, this is Sadie."

I blinked a few times, staring at my girlfriend-to-be. She had the most adorable look on her face, and I couldn't help but smile. "Hey, Sadie... I'd hug ya, but I can't move my arms."

She giggled. Boy, a girl's giggle is music to my ears, I tell ya. "That's okay, Cody." She leaned toward me, planting a kiss on my forehead. I blushed... for several reasons. First of all, she kissed me. Willingly. That was... just freaking awesome! Second, as she leaned in, the pervert in me couldn't help but catch a glimpse at a hell of a lot of exposed cleavage. I thought something would pop out if she wasn't too careful. And third, for a second I was worried she would fall on me. In my current situation... that would hurt like hell. Luckily, she didn't, which made this three second experience all the more enjoyable.

I closed my eyes after she separated her lips from me, my smile widening only slightly, my blush getting deeper, not as slightly. "W...wow... Um... Thanks." I opened my eyes again, noticing she was blushing too, her smile even wider than mine.

"No need to thank me, my little butter biscuit." Hee hee... Butter biscuit? That's new. I've heard "pumpkin" or "puddin'" or even "cupcake" before (with other couples, of course), but never "butter biscuit." This was definitely going to be interesting, to say the very least.

She excused Katie, who still insisted on tagging along now that they were a dynamic duo again, and stepped behind me, now having control of my wheelchair.

"So, where would you like to go, Cody?" Sadie asked, but before I could answer, Katie decided to answer for me.

"Ooh! Let's go outside! We could all, like, totally hang out by the pool, and check out Justin and his heavenly bod!"

"Oh, yeah, totally!"

My smile dropped at that. "Um... wait a minute..."

"Oh, it's okay, Cody," Sadie began assuring me. "It's not like I'm gonna leave you for him. Besides, if you let me check out Justin, I'll let you check out Katie."

"Hey!"

Sadie and I shared a giggle as Katie gave us a weird look. "What? Sadie's got a point," I added. "I mean, if she gets to sneak peaks at Justin..."

"Yeah, but it's _Justin_," she attempted to explain--I didn't buy it, though. "I mean, it's one thing if it's Justin, but... I mean, I'm no Justin."

"And I agree." That earned a scoff, so I continued with a toothy grin. "You're much easier on the eyes than Justin."

Katie stammered, and Sadie and I shared another laugh. "N-n-nah... I mean, I'm not... I'm not bad looking, I know, but Justin's like... like Hercules."

"Please... Justin's more like Medusa," I responded. "You look at him, and you're frozen in place forever. Not necessarily a good thing, if you ask me. I mean, take it from a guy who IS frozen in place at the moment. It's not fun."

Sadie giggled again. "Aww... Katie, you didn't tell me he was so funny."

I beamed. Damn, I wish I wasn't in this wheelchair right now... I just wanted to stand up, turn around, and hug her to death. Though knowing her, and knowing me, it'd be physically impossible; she'd hug me to death first.

"But yeah, I still think we should go outside. A little fresh air will do us good, right Cody?"

"Mm-hmm," I agreed, and I felt something press up against my head. An initial shot of pain went through to my brain, and I winced slightly, but it went away after my eyes looked up and saw Sadie smiling down at me. So, it wasn't her face on my head... Yep. The pain's gone now.

But all good things must come to an end. And by that I mean she must've realized what she had (I assume inadvertently) done. "Oh! Sorry." I felt the contact disappear, and a part of me wanted to sigh in an upset manner, but I couldn't. I was far from upset right now.

We were soon outside the walls of the resort, and the two had led me to the pools. As they were wearing their normal clothes, instead of going into one of the pools, they simply parked me next to the lawn chairs and occupied the chairs themselves, Sadie comically taking up more space on her chair than Katie was.

"I hope this thing doesn't break," she joked, and I chuckled. I know a lot of girls that are down on themselves because of their weight, and most of them aren't even half the weight Sadie was. And I was happy that she didn't seem to mind it at all, especially since I didn't mind it either.

"So... Cody..." Sadie continued. "Tell me about yourself."

"Oh, um..." The one thing I hated about that request... I have to say, it's because I don't know what to say about myself. Nothing that another girl would find positive, anyway. What, should I talk about how "cool" I am? How cool I try to act? How I'm such a bad flirt (Yeah, I admit it)? How a goth shot me down on national television? Or maybe I should tell her that I'm into gadgets, technology, and other nerdy crap. Yeah, that's always exciting to girls.

But I've always had a way to get out of it, and I used it here too. Plus, it's a good way to get to know the girl I'm interested in.

"Bah, my story's not so great. I'd much rather hear about you."

"Um... okay." Phew! It looked like I lucked out. "Um... I've known Katie, like, almost all my life."

"We were best friends since we were little," Katie added.

"Yep, and I... um... uh... hmm... uh... so... tell me about yourself."

...Damn.

"Um... I'm..." I was trying. Really, I was. "Um... I'm... a guy..."

"You don't know what to say either?"

"Nope."

"Alright, I'll let it go."

Phew...

"But only because I don't know what to say either." She giggled again, and I blushed... again. Yeah, it was hard. Very. All relationships for me tend do be, despite how I tend to act. But at least with Sadie... she made it a little easier. Not much, just a little.

But that little bit can make a big difference.

-X-

I must've fallen asleep in the wheelchair, because the next thing I remember I was in the cafeteria. Sadie and Katie were on my right, Noah on my left, and Izzy and Eva across from me.

"Look who's alive," Noah pointed out, and I rolled my eyes.

"Hee hee, you dozed off back there, Cody," Sadie said as she lightly patted my shoulder, making sure not to hurt me. "Katie and I were talking for, like, five minutes before we realized you were sleeping."

"Heh heh, yeah," Katie added. "Then we just kept talking 'cuz you looked so cute sleeping, and we didn't want to wake you."

"Um... thanks." I didn't really know what to say. Hell, I didn't even know I was asleep. I didn't remember dreaming or anything. I just drifted off, and woke up in here.

"Hey, Cody!"

I was startled by the new voice for a second, not expecting it at all. It turned out to be one of my nurses.

"BACK OFF, HE'S NOAH'S!!" Izzy shouted.

"Um, no-o, he's naw-awt," Katie said annoyingly; Sadie just "hmmphed."

"...Um, anyway..." I could tell the nurse was a little worried... I would be too if Izzy shouted like that to me. "I have some good news for you, Cody. You're healing at a... very astonishing rate."

...Really? I was shocked. Exactly how astonishing is it that a member of the medical staff would be astonished by it?

"At the rate you're going, you could be walking before the contest is even over."

Whoa... That WAS astonishing...

After the nurse left, I flashed a wide smile at my tablemates. "Did... didja hear that?"

"Yep," Eva grumbled. "Lucky bastard; I've had lesser injuries that kept me immobile for months. Where do you get off?"

"Hey!" Sadie came at my defense. "Aren't you happy for him?"

Eva's expression saddened. "Um... yeah, but... still..."

"Sadie, don't get worked up over it," I tried to intervene. "I'm just happy I'm going to be alright. Some people don't get to be mauled by a bear and live to tell about it, you know."

"...Yeah, I know... but..." Sadie began, but stopped herself, and changed her tone. "You're right. I shouldn't have gotten all worked up. Still... that wasn't nice, Eva."

"Meh..." Eva shrugged. "I'm not a people's person, I admit it."

"Well... still..."

"Let's just drop it," I interrupted. I really didn't like this sort of confrontation. Why can't we all just get along?

Wishful thinking, I know.

Just like when I thought I'd forget about...

...What? Were you expecting me to?

Heh... no. As much as I wanted to at this point, she was at the back of my head. A thousand "what ifs" floated around my head, and they wouldn't go away, no matter how hard I tried.

I was hoping this relationship with Sadie would finally get rid of those "what ifs".

Did it work?

...

Well, I'll let you find out on your own.


	33. Breakdown

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Two: Breakdown**_

The next day, yet again, Katie had tagged along with Sadie and me. Now, I wasn't expecting too much, but I was really hoping that by the time I was out of this chair that Katie would let us have a little more... alone time.

...

Oh, no, not for that... just some light stuff. Kissing, cuddling, stuff like that.

Though if Sadie wouldn't mind...

...

Nah, she's probably not interested in that anyway. Plus, the cameras. Yeah, you can't afford to forget about the cameras. If only I was aware of the cameras before I sniffed Gwen's hair, maybe karma wouldn't have kicked my ass and put me in a wheelchair.

"So, where would you like to go, Cody?" Sadie asked, and I thought for a moment.

"Um..." Really, I had no idea. "Wherever you want to go, Sadie Wadie."

"Aww..." she cooed at the, let's face it, very made-up-on-the-spot pet name I gave her. She seemed to like it though. I made a mental note to use it more often. "Um... would you like to come up to our bedroom? We can share some stories and--"

"Wait, 'our'?" I was confused. I knew she didn't mean me... Did she and Katie...?

"Katie and I asked Chris if we could share a bedroom." Wow. I guessed right.

"Yep! So every day could be like a sleepover, right Sadie?"

"Oh, yeah, totally!"

"Yeah... Too bad there's only one bed though." Katie leaned in toward me and began to whisper: "And between you and me... there's almost not enough room for the both of us."

I almost had a nosebleed.

Katie giggled as I felt my face get beet red. "Oh, calm down there, big boy. I just mean Sadie takes up a lot of the room."

"Hey!" Sadie protested, but Katie's giggles soon became contagious to even the insulted.

"Aww, you're still the prettiest girl I know, Sadie," she said, and I smirked, rolling my eyes slightly, having a feeling Sadie was about to--

"And you're the prettiest girl I know, Katie."

--say the same thing.

"Oh, and do you know who the cutest guy I know is?" I heard Sadie add behind me, and my blush deepened.

"...Justin?"

I laughed as Sadie gasped at Katie's answer. "Katie, he's right here!"

"Justin's not here, he--OH! Duh... Sorry, Cody..."

I didn't respond. I was too busy chuckling. As if I didn't already know it yesterday, I knew this was going to be a load of fun.

We reached the bedroom, and right away I was turned around facing the door. "Whoa, what's going on?" I asked, not even getting a good glimpse of the room in such short time. I just noticed a few posters and typical bedroom furniture: a bed, a dresser, a nightstand... But what was going on? Were they hiding something?

Well... I got my answer...

"Sorry, Cody, but no fair peeking."

"Yeah, we're going to the pools later, so we're changing into our bikinis."

Okay, are they doing this on purpose? I'm sure a lot of blood would've spritzed out of my nose if most of it wasn't already concentrated somewhere else.

What they were saying didn't help either--in fact, I bet they really were doing this on purpose, unless they actually say these things all the time. But then again... you'd think they'd remember I'm here.

"Oh, wow, Sadie! You have no idea how hot you look in that thong!"

"Oh, thank you, but... it's not a thong."

"Oh. Still, damn, you make it look hot, Sadie!"

"Oh, you make yours look hot too! Only... yours actually is a thong."

"Well, yeah... it's a little uncomfortable though. I'm thinking of going back to using my lace panties."

"Unh... um... can you unhook my--"

"Yeah, I gotcha. Hold on... there ya go."

"Okay, thanks. Gosh, I need to lose some weight."

"Oh, don't even start. You've got a BF now, and he doesn't care about your weight."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he didn't even try to hit on me."

"He didn't? Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh."

"Huh."

"Huh."

"Hmm... up we go!"

"You're-a-big-kid-now!"

"Oh, ha, ha. Very funny."

"Nah, I'm kidding. You know I love ya."

"Awwwwwww... I love you too!"

"Nuh-uh, you love Cody now."

"Hehehe... Right. I love you, Cody!"

"Awwwww...."

"Can you get my top again?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Hold on..."

"Ah, thanks."

"...You sure that's not a thong?"

See what I mean? Yeah, I really do think they did some of that on purpose.

And damn, what I wouldn't have given to be able to turn my neck.

...

What? Don't tell me if you were me you wouldn't have wanted to do the same thing. And again, that's why I say I think they did that on purpose.

Sneaky little teases, aren't they? Hehehehe

Like I said, this was going to be fun...

...Well, most of the time, anyway...

Ooh, did I just foreshadow something again?

-X-

"Guys! Tape number... uh... how far along are we?"

Everyone rolled their eyes at Tyler, who was trying to count how far we were in the season.

He gave up. "Um, anyway, come with me if you wanna see 'Who Can You Trust?'."

Sadie gave me a look, and I smiled at her. "I wanna see why they were dumb enough to vote you off."

She giggled. "Hey, don't get upset. I wouldn't be with you right now if they weren't."

My grin widened. "Aren't you a comedian?"

"Oh, totally." She got behind me and wheeled me to the others. Once everyone had sat down, most of the former contestants sitting on the couches, while Sadie and Katie sat in front of me as if in some protective state, Tyler started the video.

The recording started with Harold, sleeping soundly, not having a clue that his bunk was now being carried out the cabin. The bunk, Ezekiel noted, would've been shared by the two, but Ezekiel never really had a chance to use it.

The next morning, Harold woke up to a rather embarrassing situation...

"Good morning, Harold."

Everyone around me laughed (okay, I did too) as the screen cut to all the current female competitors, Bass and Gopher alike, who were in the lake, taking in more of Harold than was ever necessary to see. And laughing about it.

Poor guy... but I admit, I was laughing so hard my ribs were screaming at me, yelling "We're already frickin' broken, don't break us anymore!"

But Sadie was probably laughing the hardest out of anybody in the room, having the luxury of witnessing the same humorous event twice in such a short period of time.

After Harold ran for the sanctuary that was his cabin, the scene cut to that morning's breakfast, and I was glad that Chris at least had the decency of not shooting the girls changing back into their normal clothes (after all, he already had lacked the decency to knock on a bathroom door).

Of course, the episode had to pretty much start with Gwen. And Heather, who was feeling the effects of being locked in a freezer, but Gwen was a big concern for me. I was trying--oh, God, was I trying--to forget about her and focus on my newfound relationship with Sadie, but seeing her right now was making it so much harder for me.

And her wit wasn't helping either. Damn, did I love that wit...

"Aww..." Sadie's voice broke me of my thoughts (and man, was I happy it was Sadie that did that... it put me back in the right place for the time being). "DJ and his bunny are sooooooo cuuuuuuu--EWW!"

Izzy cackled. "He's like a mother bird, chewing the food for his little baby. That's so adorable!"

"Now Duncan's stealing mugs?" Noah pointed out. "What's next? Will he steal Chris's hair gel?"

"God forbid," Tyler retorted.

"Oh, yeah. Courtney totally digs him," Katie said.

"Yeah, totally." Sadie added.

Then, Chris had his little monologue, followed by him explaining the challenge to the contestants. I had to admit, it was a stroke of genius. A trust challenge. Boy, did these guys really need it.

The first challenge was rock-climbing. Boy, did I feel sorry for the suckers that had to... oh, crap...

Chris explained the "distractions" on the mountain. Double crap.

Alright. As a friend. I'm saying this as a friend and as a person that really does care about someone like a really, really good friend would.

Gwen. Please don't die.

The episode cut to the Bass for a moment, and the two lovely ladies before me began to, yet again, express how adorable Bunny was. "Awww..."

The Gophers were on screen again, and... well... I wouldn't have noticed if Gwen hadn't pointed it out, but once she did, something seemed fishy. Heather really seemed to be overselling her "back-up line" and how she looked forward to doing a challenge with Gwen. It didn't seem right...

The rock climbing began. And it wasn't long before...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

"GWEN!!"

Everyone looked at me. Yeah. That was me. And, if you could only imagine, my throat now hurt like a bi--

"Cody! It's okay! She's fine, don't worry," Sadie assured me, and I felt a blush creep up on my face. Oh, man... the look on Sadie's face... She looked a little upset at me. No, no, she was worried about me, that's all. I'm looking too far into this. I was concerned for a friend, and she knew that.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA--OW!!"

I tried to keep myself under control for that one. She survived, and didn't even look too phased by, an explosive blowing up on her face, and she wasn't hurt or anything... She was probably alright now... hopefully...

Alright, I've got to give Gwen some major frickin' props right now. She's a freaking soldier, I'm telling you. After ALL that, she had actually managed to catch up to and even pass DJ up the cliff.

Because of this, the others even began cheering for her, even Sadie, which prompted me the "privilege" from my girlfriend to cheer her on as well.

"Come on, Gwen... You don't want to fall behind..."

Wait, what's she...?

...Oh, my God...

Alright, first of all, DJ, you lucky basta--nah, kidding.

Seriously, though, I might as well been stupified. My eyes were just freaking glued on the screen. I would never admit it to Sadie, but at that moment I had completely forgotten about her, and all my thoughts, dirty (especially due to this situation) and pure alike, of Gwen suddenly flooded my brain all at once. I couldn't deny myself anymore. I loved Gwen. That never changed from when I first believed it myself.

So sue me. Think of me how you want to. I'm a pervert; I won't sugarcoat it. But let me ask you this: if you were ever given the opportunity to see the person whom you may consider to be the most beautiful being in the world in their underwear, what would be your reaction? I rest my case.

I tried not to make a noise, though. I didn't want to divert attention. And I didn't want the others, especially Sadie, to think the same thing you're probably thinking right now: that all I am is some messed up pervert who gets off on looking at goths in purple panties with cute pink skulls on the cheek. Yeah, I noticed the skull, assholes. I wasn't _just_ looking at her ass the whole time.

Well, Gwen ended up winning the challenge with a cheer and a "crap" (the latter after realizing she was still in her panties). And I thought to myself, 'Thank God... it's over, it's done, let's go to the next scene and I can just forget about all this... And dammit, everything else is broken, but why does THAT have to still be working? God, I hope no one noticed it...'

...

'Wow, you pitch a tent like a guy.'

Alright, that worked. Thanks, Geoff. Every time I pitch a tent, I'll think of you and your fitting quote to get back to normal.

But unfortunately, it didn't end there. Rough cuts, remember? The Harold clip at the beginning should've helped jog that memory.

The two teams were taking some resting time as Gwen fixed up her skirt. Trent walked up to her in an attempt to console her.

"I don't know what Heather's deal is. I mean, she's already the 'popular one'. She's already won. Why does she need to rub it in my face that she's better?"

"She's not better."

"Oh yeah?"

"Anyone that tries to humiliate you like that is only jealous of you."

"Jealous of what?"

"..."

"You can't even come up with anything?"

"Well, I'm not Heather, you know. How do I know what she's jealous of?"

"...Ugh... Well, whatever her deal is, this isn't over. Not by a long shot."

Think it's getting bad now? Just wait...

"Gwen, if you keep one-upping her, this is never going to end."

"Yes it will, when that witch is finally out of my life. My God! She ripped off my skirt, Trent! Everyone in Canada will see me in my underwear!"

"Gwen..."

"And I bet you, somewhere out there, Cody's wishing he could jerk off."

"Hey! That's our lit..."

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!"

This caught everyone by surprise, even the one that shouted that.

How do I know that?

"SERIOUSLY, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!"

Because it was me.

Bottled-up emotions are not healthy. And I proved it, right then and there.

"WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU?!?!" I took a deep breath--no, several. I wasn't even aware that Tyler had paused the tape, despite Gwen being frozen on the screen. "Even _before_ I was an annoying asshole, YOU NEVER EVEN GAVE ME A CHANCE!!!"

What triggered this, though? Could anyone really figure that out? Was it because after I thought she had seen me in a better light, she would say something like that about me, thinking I would never see it just because I wasn't there? Oh, no. That's not the case. If it was, she wouldn't have even acknowledged me at all. No, I betcha I never even crossed her frickin' mind until that very moment. Oh, horny little Cody finally gets to see what's up Gwen's skirt. Oh, of course the bra's not enough for him, oh no. He needs to see some ass. He won't be satisfied until he knows what color panties you wear and see the little friggin' skull on your ass cheek.

Maybe it was like I said before. I bottled it up, and I blew up. I didn't tell Sadie I wasn't fully over Gwen, but I can tell you right now she knew it then. Everyone in the whole damn resort knew it then.

"But yeah, I betcha you think I'm probably happy I got to see your stupid little skull on your ass, don'tcha?! DON'TCHA?!?! Happy, even though I'M IN A FRICKIN' WHEELCHAIR AND I CAN'T EVEN EAT ON MY OWN!! And here! Wanna help me out?! "THEN WHY DON'T _**YOU**_ JACK ME OFF, YOU F--"

"Cody, I think we should go."

My eyes darted around. I could've sworn I had heard Sadie's voice, but where did she--oh, nevermind; my wheelchair's moving...

I caught a glimpse at some of the others in the room as she turned me around. Oh, man... they were scared. Downright horrified.

Sadie wheeled me out of the room, and I overheard someone telling Tyler, "The show must go on." I think it was Justin. Yeah, he was really concerned, alright.

"Cody? Are you alright?"

The frail tone in Sadie's voice somehow cut through me. Anger was replaced by something even worse, and my eyes clenched shut as tears began to flow from my eyes. I couldn't hold back anymore, especially not in front of Sadie. "W-w-why am I s-such a loser...?"

Pathetic. Don't lie to me, you know this is pathetic. Sadie, whom I had forgotten about completely a mere minute ago was now the only thing I really had. And don't take that as me claiming her as a possession. I mean a noun--person, place, or thing; she WAS the only thing I had right now. I had nothing else. And now I was crying to her. What, was I pleading for forgiveness for someone I hadn't even acknowledged moments ago? My own GIRLFRIEND? And for whom? Someone who doesn't even want anything to do with me? Am I THAT frickin' retarded?

Waterfalls were gushing from my eyes at this point. I thought I heard Sadie speak, but I couldn't understand a damn word she said in the position I was in. Not until she called my name.

"Cody."

And then things began to clear up. Just a little, but it was a start.

"I said, 'You're not a loser.'" She really has no idea. "Cody, please talk to me. Tell me what's wrong." Wait... maybe she does... She seemed to know when I was paying attention... "Cody?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm... j-just..." Ah, who am I kidding? She pretty much knows. I gotta tell her. "I... I don't know i-if you know this or not, b-but... I... I had a, uh... a thing for... for Gwen, and I guess it... never went away..."

"Oh, you poor baby..." She hugged me gently, trying not to hurt me anymore physically than I already was mentally and emotionally. The waterworks began to pour out again. "Don't worry about her anymore, okay? You've got me now. I'll be your Gwen." ...Did... did she just offer to be my-- "But don't expect me to dress like her."

Really, for the first time during this whole talk, I looked into Sadie's eyes. I couldn't describe it--maybe it was just her nature, the way she acted all the time, but I could see just pure love in her eyes. None of that romance, lovey dovey crap. The real stuff; the kind of stuff that saves lives and heals suffering.

The tears still flowed, and my breathing was still heavy, but Sadie could already tell I was in better shape. And I could tell this because of the way she smiled at me--really, the fact that she was smiling was telling enough. "I love you, Cody."

Those words. The words I had longed to hear from Gwen the second I uttered them for her... But it wasn't from Gwen. No, it wasn't from Gwen.

...And I couldn't have been happier about that.

"I love you, too, Sadie."

As soon as I said that, as if on cue I heard Katie's voice behind me. "How's Cody doing?"

"He's doing fine now," Sadie answered for me. I didn't resent it either. She was absolutely right.

"Good," Katie said, "because there's something I think you should see..."


	34. A Crabapple a Day

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Three: A Crabapple a Day...**_

Tyler had rewound the tape for me. Apparently, according to Katie, there was something I needed to see that occurred after... well... after what caused my breakdown.

"...could jerk off."

"Hey! That's our little buddy you're talking about."

"Oh, come on. I was kidding; lighten up.

"Do you think Cody would take that as a joke?"

"Yes!" Really? "You know Cody; nothing gets him down." _Really?_

"How do you know that?"

"Because..." She paused. Yeah, she had to think of why. I knew it. I figured she had never really thought of me at all ever since my elimination. Did she even know I was knocked into the lake? "...Because, well... when he... you know... gave up on me, he was always smiling. And after that bear got him, he was still smiling. So really, how can one little comment get him down? Honestly?"

Gwen...

"How do you know they weren't forced?"

"Oh, trust me, I can tell."

"Yeah, like you could tell something was up with Heather, huh?"

"Like I could tell something was up when _you_ left me buried alive."

"Come on, Gwen. That was an accident."

"An accident, huh?"

"What does that have to do with this anywa--"

"Just... shut up, Trent." She walked away... straight for the confession can, actually.

The scene cut to the confession cam as Gwen was entering it. She sighed and sat down on the can as if she was worn out--considering the challenge she had just pulled off, I don't blame her. After a deep breath, she began: "Well, I might as well get this over with. Here you are again listening to me being the whiny little bitch I always am." She paused, obviously thinking about what to say next. "...Well, the challenge today, which I knew from the start was going to be a lot of fun, by the way..." obviously sarcastic, "...is a trust challenge. Yeah, trust. Chris wants to see if we can trust anyone on our team. Let's see, who do I trust...? I trusted Trent once. He left me buried alive on the beach. Leshawna, Owen... well... honestly, they probably are the only ones left that I trust. And even with them... I'm still a little wary, I'll be honest.

"I'm starting to regret this past week, especially now. Every time we have a chance to get rid of Heather, something happens and we end up voting off someone else. We keep saying 'Oh, it'll be alright, we'll vote her off next time.' What if there ISN'T a next time? I mean, even I have to give her props--she's not an idiot. She'll keep finding ways to get out of it, and... DAMMIT!" She kicked the door, and it actually swung upon (the footage actually looked pretty cool), but Gwen caught it and closed it again. "Sorry... Ugh..." She took another breather, then continued. "It's just... this challenge is making me realize exactly why this past week was so awful. Two people that I would sure as hell trust over Heather... GONE. Why? Because of Heather. Everything can be traced back to that little... UGH! If she hadn't been pissing me off in the first place, I wouldn't have gotten pissed at Cody during the paintball challenge, and he wouldn't have left the group. And Heather just had to have everything her way, and pin it all on Beth. That curse thing? Knowing Chris, it's a crock, but everyone fell for it.

"Ugh... Stupid Heather, stupid island, stupid Chris... Man, sometimes I wish _I_ was the one mauled by that stupid bear... then I wouldn't have to worry about this stupid contest anymore." She took another break from her rant, but something happened this time. Every breath she took, her eyebrows began to arch upward, as if she had realized something. Something bad.

It took her about another minute before she bit her lower lip. Yeah, she realized something alright, I could tell. And I had a feeling I knew what...

"Oh, man..." I could practically hear her gulp. "I... I..." Yeah, I could tell. She was thinking about what she said earlier. "I... Aw, hell..." Actually taking the time to think about me probably did it. That was the only way that made sense to me. "Cody... I... If you heard what I said before... the whole jerk off thing... Sorry. I... Well, if you heard it, you've seen what happened. I just... Stress and Heather... and embarrassment. I'm not a very outgoing person, obviously. I'm not the kind of person that actually likes to flaunt her panties to the public, you know? Things are just getting to me. Please don't take it the wrong way, okay little buddy?" She... she called me... "I didn't mean to hurt you with that, if I did." I... I-I can't believe it... "I miss you." She rolled her eyes and closed them, accompanied by a sigh, and I could tell her thoughts drifted back to Heather. "I really do..." she mumbled, before slamming the back of her head on the rear wall of the can. "Dammit..." she whispered, but I could hear it clearly. "I really am a b--" The all-too-familiar static showed up on screen before the episode continued.

I was shocked, because I couldn't think of any other way to describe how I was feeling. Was I still hurt from what she said? Yeah, I was. But I was no longer mad at her. Anyone that can "man up" (I put that in quotes for obvious reasons--it often takes a real woman to do that) and admit his or her faults without being prompted to, for one thing, is alright in my book. And honestly... I was just happy knowing, yet again, that she really didn't hate me. Though why I tend to think she does... well, the reasons do tend to be obvious sometimes, don't they?

Maybe there really is hope... for friendship. Yeah, friendship. Come on, do I have to go over this again? Fishing rod, catch of the day, little guppy thrown back, I told you this already. But now, I may not be thrown back. Maybe I'll be kept in a bowl, with a little castle, with two other fish. And if I'm lucky the smaller fish will try not to butt in so much on the bigger fish and my alone time... hint, hint.

Tyler paused the tape again, which confused me at first, I'll admit. But after he glanced at me, I understood. He wanted to make sure I was alright. Sadie and Katie gave me the same worried gesture. I smiled. "I'm fine. Thanks." It was true; I was in much better shape than I was even a minute ago. And I wanted to see the rest of the episode anyway. "Please, continue."

Smiling at me for a second, Tyler turned to the screen and pressed play.

When Gwen was back with the others, Chris had instructed the two teams to go back to the cabins, save for four: Geoff, Bridgette, Trent, and Lindsay. Honestly, after her apology, I was actually hoping that the cameramen would follow her a little bit to make sure she would be alright herself. As hurt as I still was for the remark that started all this, it still wasn't in my nature to have another girl hurt on my account, even if they hurt me.

It wasn't meant to be. Chris had other plans.

I kinda zoned in and out during the next part... something about a Japanese blowfish, and Trent almost dying... wait, _what?!_

Now I was worried. Trent was my buddy, and (as I've pretty much pointed out several times in my story) Gwen's boyfriend. No way in hell did I want him to die!

"Oh, gee. Nice, Chris," I heard Noah say. "Didn't you say there was no antidote for the blowfish's poisons? Unless you lied about that, too."

I was really hoping Chris had lied...

...Well, according to my knowledge, Trent's still alive today, so that's a good sign Chris was lying.

After Trent was hauled to the medical tent, which Chef seemed to have updated since the last time I was in there, as there were more equipment and beds, Bridgette and Geoff had gone back to the cabins. The cameras decided not to follow them, which was a good idea, as they would be changing in their swimsuits (Chris knows exactly how far to and not to push the envelopes; he's no idiot).

Unfortunately, the cameras did not try and search for the two people I would've actually wanted to see on the screen: Sadie and Gwen. But it _did_ go to something rather interesting.

Leshawna had just left the girls' side of the Gopher cabin, and it looked as though someone was watching her from afar. We couldn't see who it was at first--he was behind some bushes (I had empathy for the guy, though, knowing that if Chris aired this, this poor guy was going to suffer the same stalker status that I would eventually get from some of my peers... but Chris didn't air it anyway). But judging by the fact that Duncan walked behind it and gave the "bush" a wedgie, I had a pretty good guess on who it was.

The scene cut back to Geoff and Bridgette eventually, and some things began to get complicated when Bunny had a little... misfortune...

I gasped. "Holy crap!"

"NOOOOO!!" Katie shouted, but Sadie stopped her by holding her hand.

"It's okay, Katie. He's in a better place now. And DJ gets a new bunny."

"But... but... but... poor old Bunny..."

"I know... Poor Bunny..."

"He lived a good life, eh," Ezekiel added, and both Sadie and Katie calmed down after that.

The video cut to the group, where everyone but Trent was standing in front of Chris as he explained the upcoming three-in-one challenge. None of the group looked eager; Sadie in particular looked absolutely nervous. And Gwen was seemingly trying to stand as far away from the group (or rather Heather) as possible without being in her own little island. But of all the expressions, I had to say either Leshawna or Harold had the best one, and I wasn't even trying to pay attention to their expressions.

"Uh-oh..." I heard Noah say, and when I realized why he said it, I had to agree with him. Geoff was in a pickle. Bunny was gone, and DJ had no idea.

Chris explained the first of the three "blind" challenges. It was basically a reverse-William-Tell challenge, despite the fact that Chris tried to sell it as the real thing.

And... he demonstrated it.

"Oh-ho-ho, ow!" Tyler chuckled.

"Damn, that had to hurt," Noah added.

"Ooh, am I glad I'm oot of this game, eh," Ezekiel remarked.

Sadie offered to be the shooter of the Bass, and Leshawna offered to be the shooter of the Gophers. Judging by the fact that Sadie was here, I could only guess that--HA! Hahahahahaha... Sorry... Just... Wow...

"I love you, Sadie," I said, chuckling. Even if we weren't in a relationship, I would've said it anyway. This was, like, the best thing I've seen on the show yet.

"Awww... I love you, too."

Tyler guffawed. "Say what now?"

I just smirked at the jock before returning my attention to Sadie. "I gotta say, that had to be worth it, right?"

"Oh, yeah, totally," she agreed. "Courtney can be mean sometimes. Especially when she voted me off. Ooh! Remember the time when she voted m--?"

"We're watching it right now, Sadie," Noah interrupted.

"Oh, right."

The scene cut to the trapeze challenge. I took this opportunity to ask Sadie a question that, honestly, I hadn't been thinking about at all until just now when I realized they were often standing next to each other. "Hey, Sadie... What do you think of Harold?"

"Huh? Oh, he's alright," she answered, smiling at me. "Actually, after Katie left and I was on my own, Harold became my BMF. He showed me all this cool stuff that he had with him. And I asked him if he had a girlfriend once, and he said 'No,' but he also said that he had a crush on someone else. But I guess that turned out alright then, huh?"

"Yeah," I smiled warmly back. "It turned out really well."

"...Okay, Cody," Noah began, "you have to tell me, for the sake of my sanity if nothing else. What is going on here?"

"Oh, come on, Noah. I thought you were the brainiac," Katie said. "Isn't it obvious? Cody and Sadie are dating now."

"WHAT?!" Izzy shouted, and I grimaced at the possible horrors that could follow. "But what about Noah?!"

"Izzy... for the last time... we're not gay," Noah said very, very slowly for the redhead.

"...Oh, alright, fine. Hmph! Cody, you're off the hook."

"Oh, thanks," I said. No really, I was glad. With Izzy now off my back, I wouldn't have to worry about her trying to sabotage my relationship with Sadie.

"...But you're not, Noah."

"...What?" I chuckled at Noah's monotonous grumble.

"Because you don't have a girlfriend. Someone as hot as you should have a girlfriend by now, but you DON'T, AND you kissed Cody, so... I'd hate to break it to you, but you're a homosexual."

"Am not."

"Aw, come on, there's nothing wrong with it."

"I'm not gay."

"Yes you are."

"Am not."

"Are t--"

"Guys, please stop," Tyler interfered. "Fight later; we're trying to watch the video. Do you have any idea how much we've missed already? Heather fell in a pond of jellyfish."

"Oh yeeeeeeeah! I remember that!" Sadie giggled, and I joined her. You reap what you sow, Heather. "It was kinda scary at the time, but looking back, it's sooooooo funny."

"Hey, so _that's _where the new Bunny came from!" Katie pointed out. "Awwww... Duncan's not so bad, huh?"

"I beg to differ," Noah grumbled.

And finally, next up was the toboggan race. The blindfold toboggan race. And not on snow, either. Gwen was thrown back into the mix again. Leshawna was her "driver." And if things weren't interesting enough, DJ and Geoff had been chosen for the other toboggan.

"Ookay, I say this ag'een, eh," Ezekiel spoke up. "Maybe it's a good thing I was vooted off first."

The race had begun, and many of us had shared our views on what was going on throughout the race, most of which involved the words "holy crap" and "oh, my God, I can't believe they're still alive." Noah even pointed out that DJ should've been voted off by causing not one, but two of the Bass' challenges. I figured that wouldn't be the case though anyway. Everyone liked DJ.

Ultimately, as you should know already, the Bass had lost due to a technicality. Way to go, Chris, by the way, for letting them get their hopes up, you sadist bastard.

It didn't shock me to know who was on the block either, but it was a shame that it had to be the "BM..." wait, that doesn't work... "B..." ...Ah, screw it. Sadie and Harold. After what was said earlier, it was kind of sad that this happened this way. But again, it didn't shock me. The cryptic remarks by Courtney to Sadie and the pranks that Duncan, DJ, and Geoff often pulled on Harold... It was obvious that the Bass weren't too fond of either camper, despite Harold's contributions and Sadie's cheerful nature.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'd never hit a girl. But at that moment, if only for that moment, seeing Courtney bite the end of that marshmallow as if to say "I just kicked your sorry ass out"... for that moment I came to the conclusion that Courtney's not a girl. Luckily for her, I was here, in a wheelchair, and unable to even lift a finger. Also, luckily for her, this thought had subsided by the time I could lift my hand. After all, if you're a perv like me and you see a girl in a bathing suit long enough, after a while you remember she's a girl.

After Sadie made her dramatic exit turned squee-fest on screen, the episode was over, and Tyler stopped the tape. And I gotta say... for a sad ending, it was actually pretty happy. I glanced down at the two girls sitting in front of my wheelchair. "Any regrets, Sadie?"

She turned to me, an inquisitive thought on her face, before she answered me. "I should've pelted her harder."

And my ribs started hurting again from my laughing.

-X-

I'm going to tell you right now, any traces of my breakdown from that night was gone by the next.

Why is that?

Well...

"LET GO OF ME!! I SWEAR TO GOD, CHRIS, I'LL SUE YOU FOR EVERY PENNY YOU GOT!! MY LAWYERS WILL BE ALL OVER YOU LIKE--OOF!!"

"Hey, Courtney. Long time no see."

"Grr... Tyler, if you have a brain in your skull, you will not say another word..."

I couldn't resist. I really couldn't. "Um... Courtney, I hear a crabapple a day--"

"Oh, ha, ha," she said mockingly, and I felt two big arms wrap around me lightly from behind, accompanied from a sweet giggle. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you two. But I'll be the one having the last laugh when I sue Chris for all the money he's got!"

"Um... Courtney," I began, "if you haven't noticed... I'm in a wheelchair. If I could, I could sue Chris, too. But I won't... because I'm a nice guy."

"Yeah, well you just don't have the guts to sue someone, but I do." She stormed past me, and I chuckled again.

"Courtney, you get mauled by a bear and we'll see who has more guts."

"UGH!" I heard loud, angry footsteps and a door slam shut. Not a second later, Sadie, Tyler, and I burst with laughter.

This was gonna be fun...


	35. Coolselor in Training

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Four: Cool-selor in Training**_

If you were wondering where this tension between Courtney and I came from... well, of course you already know where _I_ think it started (back on the cliff), but if you were to ask her, she'd probably argue that... well... it came from this particular week.

I'm not sure exactly how I, a wheelchair-bound "inferior" being, was able to strike a chord with the CIT, but some chord must have been struck, because we weren't exactly the closest of friends. Of course, if TDDDDI was any hint, it was pretty much the opposite. But again, I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

"Oh, man... I really wish I could eat, but this broken neck... augh... if only I could even swallow something soft and sweet... like... oh, I don't know... green gelatin?"

"SHUT UP!"

"Oh, wait! I forgot, green gelatin's far deadlier than being blown up or buried alive or..."

"SHUT UP!!"

"I wonder if Duncan's mohawk is actually green gelatin slopped on his head—AHH!!"

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

"My arm is broken, you crazy bi—!"

"THEN SHUT UP!!"

Looking back, I had that coming to me. I really did.

But you know what they say. "Do unto others..." She had a lot coming to her too.

"Hey, Coody!"

Grumbling, Courtney walked away, and another person entered my peripheral vision. "Oh, hey Zeke."

"...What was with that... um... CIT girl, eh?"

"Oh, don't worry about Courtney. She's just upset about getting kicked off, and I'm not really helping either."

"...Oh. Um... well, I've been thinkin' aboot the oother day, eh. You knoow... when you... um... uh... you knoow... yelled a lot."

"...Oh..." I didn't really want to think about that. "Um... what were you thinking about?"

"Um... well... there's this one part in the Bible that I heard a few times dooring my parents' friends weddings, eh. And well... I thought that, you knoow... maybe you should read it. I mean, uh, the way you handled that whoole thing with that one girl and that guy with the gueetar, um... it reminded me oof that verse. Um... where's Sadie?"

"She went to take a shower."

"...Ooh, um... maybe I shouldn't move you then. Um... wait here." He ran off to find a Bible, I assumed. And I was right. He came back in virtually no time, with the Good Book in his hands. "Here we go... Let's see... 1 Coorinthians, 1 Coorinthians, 1 Coor--ooh, here we go. Um... I forgot you can't move yer arms. Maybe I should read it?"

"Um... that'd probably be a good idea."

"Ookay." He cleared his throat. "1 Coorinthians chapter thirteen, verse four through seven, eh. 'Love is patient, love is kind. It dooes not envy, it dooes not boost, **[1] **it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, and it keeps no recoord of wrongs, eh. Love dooes not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always prootects, always trusts, always hoops, **[2] **always preservers.'"** [3]** He closed the book and brought his eyes back to mine. "So... um... yeah. I just thought you'd like to hear that."

The words sunk into my mind. Now, I wasn't very religious, I admit, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of truth by those words. Perhaps at that moment, I didn't really love Gwen. I was angry and, well, even jealous of Trent, I admit.

But then I gave it some more thought. I thought about how I had protected her in the dodgeball challenge, how I gave her up selflessly to Trent, and how, for all that time, I still had hope that maybe... just maybe... she'd give me the time of day.

So... maybe I really did love her after all...

"Um... are you okay, Coody?"

Oh, whoops! I forgot. "Um... Yeah, I'm fine, Zeke. Thanks for, uh, that. It really... helped."

Ezekiel beamed at me. "Oh, uh... noo problem, eh. I'm glad I did soomething good this time," he chuckled. "I just wish the oothers could see I can be a good guy too..."

I rolled my eyes at that, not at his expense, mind you, but the others'. He was right—the others weren't exactly too friendly with the poor homeschooled teen. "Yeah, well... they're just missing out on a good friend. Take care, 'kay, dude?"

Ezekiel nodded and turned around, but he hadn't walked two steps before he turned back. "OOH! Almost forgot, eh. Um... when's my next cool lesson?"

"...Um... anytime you want, dude."

"Ooh. Ookay, maybe later then, eh. I better put this back first." He ran off again, leaving me with another smile on my face.

Yeah, Zeke's not a bad guy if you get to know him, that's for sure.

-X-

Sadie giggled as she watched Ezekiel jot down notes. The three of us (Katie was too busy ogling Justin outside) were in the cafeteria, and I was trying my hardest to explain "cool" to my homeschooled prairie friend.

"Alright, so there are different layers of cool," I explained to Ezekiel. "First off, you have people like, say, Gwen. ...Or Duncan," I quickly added when Sadie gave me a playful glare. "They are usually in their own little realm of cool, in that they aren't a fan of the 'mainstream' cool. They often inadvertently start trends, and usually get mad when it happens. Then you have the kids that actually set the trends, like... I don't know... Lindsay? ...Not sure, actually, who would fall under that. But then you got the people who copy these trends, supposed 'conformers', who ultimately kill the coolness of the trend, and it basically starts all over again after that."

"...Oh... so I can't be cool?"

"You can if you're ahead of the trend," I explained. "See, people like Gwen... or Duncan," that time I did it on purpose, "are like unsung heroes of cool, though I wouldn't tell them that. They'd probably hate it." Sadie giggled again. "My point is, if you can stay ahead of the trend, you'll be cool, even if others don't know it yet."

"Ooh... but... then what's the point, eh?"

"...There really isn't a point. Coolness is just a part of everyday culture. You learn to live with it."

"...Ooh, okay... Um... but I got a question for you."

"Hmm?"

"...Are you a trend setter then? Or are you a... uh... what was that woord... 'coonfermer?'"

...

I wasn't very fond of that question. In fact... I was kinda afraid of it...

"Um... maybe we should go on to something else." I quickly changed the subject. "How about... social cliques?"

"...Cleeques?"

"...I thought you'd never ask!" I exclaimed. "There are a lot of cliques. First, you got preps and jocks up top, then you got your..."

-X-

God knows I was happy when that lesson was over. Ezekiel had kept asking me about my "status" in the world of cool. And honestly... I wasn't so sure what the answer was.

At one time though, I would no doubt had said I was in the "elite," in the "trend-setter" group. But now... I wasn't so sure...

What happened to the "Codemeister"? Did he just somehow vanish? Did he disappear over the course of the game?

...

...And was it a good thing that he did?

"Cody?"

Sadie's voice interrupted my thoughts. And I couldn't thank her more for that. "Hmm?"

"Would you like to go somewhere right now?"

Hmm... well, I didn't have any place I _needed_ to be...

"Anywhere you'd like to go, Sadie Baby."

She giggled cutely. "Aww... you're too sweet, my little butter biscuit. You'll rot my teeth yet."

"I hope not."

"Hehehehe. Same here."

-X-

We ended up going outside to the pool area. No, I obviously still couldn't go into the pool, but I still enjoyed going out there with her. All perverted reasons aside (big breasted and bootied girl in a small swimsuit? Yeah...), these moments were very helpful in both our relationship and even our friendship after the fact (again, going too far ahead, I apologize). Oh, I couldn't help but find her splashing water at me cute. And we often ended up talking, mostly trivial things, about the other campers and other topics. Again, I have to point out that Katie and Sadie, as a duo, actually are pretty smart in certain circles. It's not like they are deep or anything, but it's not like they say ridiculously stupid things all the time either, and despite the fact that they can be a little slow at times, that doesn't mean they're stupid.

We must have been out there for a good... half hour, roughly, before Sadie climbed out of the pool. "We should have our own alone time more often," she said, winking at me and giving me a kiss on the cheek; I could feel the blood just rush to my cheeks. "I'll have to convince Katie to spend all day ogling Justin more often."

"That shouldn't be too hard," I added, and we shared a laugh.

-X-

"Ani-MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!!" **[4]**

I looked at Tyler as if he were crazy, not that he isn't, as he walked into the cafeteria.

"...Nah, I'm kidding. Just another tape. Anybody wanna watch," he didn't even bother reading the sticker, "Courtney's elimination?"

Everyone except Courtney cheered, and I could hear the CIT grumble nearby.

"Alright, let's do this thang. Everybody meet in the usual spot, and we'll check this baby out."

"...Did you just say 'let's do this thang'?" Noah spoke up.

"...Shut up."

**-X-**

**[1] Actually, "boast."**

**[2] Actually, "hopes."**

**[3] The passage is, for the most part, taken from the New International Version of The Holy Bible. Special thanks to the biblegateway website. I didn't want to have to search the house for a Bible. Too lazy. ; D**

**[4] I'm not sure if Canada actually has an Animal Planet like channel, or any channel that has... I believe this is from "The Planet's Funniest Animals," or something like that. It's been a while since I've seen that, but I still remember the "Ani-Mail" segment. So yeah, this is assuming that a channel in Canada airs that show, so if they don't, then just ignore that joke. Nobody complained about "Boom Boom Pow" (the song hasn't been out THAT long, I don't think), so don't complain about this either.**

**-X-**

**I decided to use endnotes this time. Maybe I should do that more often. I tend to make obscure references from time to time, and sometimes I have to point them out for people to get 'em. So yeah, like the footnotes? Don't like the footnotes? If you don't, I'd appreciate you telling me so I know never to use them again. XD**

**I also do realize that I, yet again, have ended the chapter in a very... abrupt manner. I want to try and split the recaps up as little as possible.**


	36. Don't Strain Your Brain

**WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! =D**

***confetti falls***

**Congratulations, allygirl56! You had posted the milestone-esque 100th review for **_**Facade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_**! =D This is the first time any of my fics hit the triple digits for reviews, so it is quite an event!**

**And what is your prize...?**

**Drumroll please...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**A new chapter of Facade, and an honorable mention in the author's note! =D *tomato'd***

**...Yes, well... anyway, thank you very much for your contribution. :) And also, I thank all of you reviewers for the 99 reviews that lead up to the 100th review, for without you this wouldn't be possible. 100 reviews! Sweet! =D**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Five: Don't Strain Your Brain**_

"Alright, everybody ready?" Tyler asked, and I, along with everyone in the group (well, almost everyone), spoke with a very loud "Yes."

However, one voice stood out from the rest. "Just get on with it, Tyler! I want to know exactly how I got freaking kicked off!"

"Um... CIT lady, you kinda yelled in my ear, eh..."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Well, I don't really feel like playing the tape now that Courtney just went and yelled in Zeke's ear like that."

"Oh, I'm sure he's just exaggerating."

"...I think I hear ringin', eh."

"Courtney, just apologize to Zeke so we can watch the video," I finally said. Yeah, you can see why she wouldn't mind seeing Tyler and me fall to our deaths, huh?

"...Oh, alright..." I couldn't see her, but the expressions I imagined were on her face were probably rather accurate. "I'm sorry, Homeschool."

"Ezekiel," Tyler and I both repeated. Yep. You definitely can, can't you? It doesn't quite explain Owen and DJ, but they probably would've been just "innocent bystanders," sorta like all the people on the Death Star who actually weren't evil but got blown up with it anyway. So do the ends justify the means? Well... if you're Courtney, probably.

"Fine... Ezekiel..."

"That's better," Tyler said as he pressed play on his remote.

The video started with Duncan, Geoff, and Harold. Apparently, Harold was the victim of yet another prank.

"Oh, so that wasn't feces?" I heard Courtney ask.

I couldn't help but ask, "Did it _smell_ like feces, Courtney?"

"Oh, shut up..."

Chef had called the campers to the docks. When they got there, they were in for a hell of a surprise.

"Oh dear..." I heard Ezekiel mumble as Chef appeared onscreen.

"Owen in boot camp..." Noah added. "This is going to be entertaining..."

"Poor Harold," Sadie mumbled next, and a few seconds later I found myself saying the same thing for Gwen.

Chef lay down the ground rules for the soon-to-be soldiers in training. I found myself cringing often. Sadie and Katie were both huddled together in front of my chair, shivering. Sadie even admitted she was now glad to have been voted off an episode before.

The first part of the challenge: the teams had to hold up canoes. Now, this wouldn't sound too difficult if it wasn't for the fact that it was long-term. Think about this: how long do you think you can hold your arms up before they get tired?

Now you guys are lucky. When you got to watch this episode, they cut out a lot of the time spent with the campers holding up their canoes. We got nearly the whole thing. Half our group actually left to go to the bathroom and snack on something in the cafeteria, and they didn't miss a damn thing.

"I'm wondering," Noah brought up at one point, "where Geoff got that fishing pole in the first place when his hands were 'supposedly' on the canoe the whole time."

"Who knows?" Sadie answered, shrugging it off.

"Okay, seriously, Tyler, please just forward through this," Noah groaned. "I don't know why Chris left all this in--he's going to have to take a lot of this out eventually anyway. He needs to fit this on twenty-two minutes of show."

"Okie-doke." Tyler forwarded through most of the day, finally pressing play when night fell on the campers.

On screen, Chef began telling war stories. Some of them sounded cool, but I could only imagine if they were exaggerated or not. Chef was kinda crazy; it's possible he made a lot of that stuff up.

Ultimately, the first loss went to the Gophers, as Lindsay couldn't take holding the canoe up anymore. ...Well, on the bright side, at least they were done for the night...

...Or so I thought...

And I was wrong. Very wrong.

"Night training?!" Sadie squeaked. "Oh, man! I am TOTALLY glad I was kicked off!"

"You're welcome," I heard Courtney sneer, and I frowned.

"Courtney, thank you for kicking Sadie off the show before this challenge," I said. It was actually quite sincere--I wouldn't have wanted to go through this torture either! But... Courtney didn't take it that way.

"Whatever! If I would've known about this challenge ahead of time, I probably would've kept your chubby little girlfriend on the show."

"Hey!" I yelled back. How _dare_ she say that? "Not cool, Courtney!"

"Yeah!" Sadie yelled as well. "Who are you calling 'little'?"

"Oh, man..." Katie spoke up, temporarily leading Sadie's and my thoughts away from Courtney. "They have to eat _garbage_?! EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!"

Though tension was still somewhat high, Sadie and I brought our attention back to the video. Duncan had another prank in store for Harold, and Courtney surprisingly stood up for him. Alright, I'll give you props for this one, Courtney. You can be a pretty nice person when you want to be. Now if only you were like that more often...

The video then cut to "night training," which... actually looked like a lot of fun in comparison to all the other challenges. If only the choreographer wasn't such an asshole, maybe the campers could've seen it as fun too.

The dance was cut short, however, when Duncan decided to be a hero. This didn't work out too well for him, or Gwen, who had to use the bathroom. I thought it was odd when Chris appeared to escort her, and even more odd that the cameraman followed, until the smiling host had asked one of the crew members to bring him a mop and some gloves.

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous," I mumbled, rolling my eyes.

"What's the matter, Cody?" Noah jokingly smirked. "After all that Gwen's been put through so far, you're afraid bathroom duty's going to kill her?"

"Noah, we have used those bathrooms before," I pointed out. "Remember how bad they were?"

"...Oh God, she's dead."

-X-

The next challenge for the campers was to write a report on how much they loved Chef.

"Okay, what does this have to do with the army?" Justin asked.

"Holy crap! You can talk?!" Courtney shouted in surprise.

"Uh... duh. I just don't like to strain my vocal cords all that much if I don't need to."

"...Don't you worry that people won't take you seriously if you don't even talk?" Courtney asked.

"Meh, if I don't need to, I don't need to. I don't see what the big deal is, really."

Apparently, for those of you who actually watch TDA, Justin actually put some thought into what Courtney said. Unfortunately, as it would turn out, people actually tend to take him more seriously whenever he _didn't_ talk.

After the essay portion of the challenge was done, Duncan decided to be a wise ass yet again. Luckily for him, Courtney saved his ass, but I wasn't sure how long she would keep it up, and I didn't really want to talk to her, so... I guess I had to wait and see.

-X-

The campers were woken up very early the next morning for their next challenge: an obstacle course. I had to say, I was impressed by many of the campers' abilities in this portion of the contest, especially Gwen. And I wasn't even trying to pay any special attention to her either (it was hard to do, don't get me wrong, but I had a girlfriend now, so I had to step up to that challenge).

Unfortunately, the challenge was taking its toll on the campers awfully quick, and a few of them began to drop like flies.

The challenge wasn't even finished. Duncan, yet again, decided to be the hero, this time actually doing good for the rest of the campers. After he was sent to the boathouse, Chef had announced that the remaining "soldiers" had been passed on to the next level. Even Owen, who almost destroyed the course itself on more than one occasion, made it to the next round. And, of course, I was happy to see Gwen move on.

The video cut to suppertime, when Courtney decided to check on Duncan in the boathouse. Wow... he was there all day? That must have sucked...

The two began a lengthy, rather "soap opera" looking chat before Duncan somehow convinced Courtney to "cross over to the dark side."

Later that night, Duncan and Courtney snuck into the crafts and services tent behind Chef and Chris' backs. They raided the refrigerator, taking out some actual delicious food and replacing it with a rotting fish.

"Whoa! Who knew you had it in ya?" I heard Eva ask, and Courtney just mumbled.

Like Robin Hood and his merry men, Duncan and Courtney had brought the food to the others for all their troubles.

"That was very nice of you to share that food, Courtney," I said, again sincerely.

This time though, I think she took it that way. "Thanks."

"No problem."

On screen, Courtney began to have a little problem when she ate too many smores. She ran outside... and threw up.

"EEEEWWWWWWW! That is so gross!" Katie whined.

"You know, you were worried about eating garbage earlier, saying someone could bring up a file of it when you're running for office," Noah pointed out, "but you know they got dirt on you here, too."

"Oh, shut up!" I heard Courtney yell. "You're such an ass, you... you... Wait, who are you again?"

On screen, Duncan and Courtney had another "moment", and in the end, much to our surprise, she actually planted one on the delinquent's lips.

"Whoa! Who knew you had it in ya?" Eva repeated, and Courtney mumbled again.

"Uh-oh," Sadie voiced concern, raising concern in me as well. "Why is Harold giving Duncan that look?"

"Maybe he has a crush on Courtney?" Katie suggested, and Courtney gagged.

"Yeah, right," the CIT scoffed in defense. "Like that would ever happen anyway."

"That's what you said to Duncan, if I recall," Noah brought up, and I chuckled.

"Oh, ha, ha."

-X-

The video cut to the next morning after Chef announced their wake-up call for the final challenge.

"So... we have to hang upside down from a tree branch?" Owen asked.

"This is in the bag," Gwen said with a smirk.

"Of course, Weird Goth Girl would find this easy," Heather retorted. "After all, vampires can turn into bats, the last time I checked."

"Well, the ones worth reading about in novels, anyway," Gwen added, which shut Heather up.

"Shut up and get up the damn tree, maggots!" Chef shouted, and the six practically raced up the tree out of fear.

The challenge began, and after Chef explained what the remaining campers were to experience in this particular challenge, Duncan felt the effects instantaneously, and he fell off the branch.

Heather came down next, willingly, as Owen's stink was too much for her. Owen came down soon after... on top of Heather.

"OOH!!" I betcha everyone in the room said that. And simultaneously, too.

"That had to hurt, eh," Ezekiel added.

On screen, Courtney began having a giggle fit at what happened to Heather, and she came down soon after. But what shocked us--all of us--even more was what she did after...

"You really need to take a chill pill."

My jaw dropped. Courtney said that? Of all people? But as ironic as that may sound, it was pretty damn funny. Everyone had at least a chuckle escape their mouths, if not full-on guffaws.

Geoff, Gwen, and Owen didn't share our laughs though. I guess maybe because of what they had gone through with the challenge, the audacity seemed overwhelming.

Courtney and Owen both gave their respective teammates some somewhat positive reinforcement. Both Geoff and Gwen were confident, but in the end the last one on the tree was the goth angel.

The Gophers began celebrating for the victorious goth girl, even Heather. But even more surprising than Heather's cheering was hearing Chef actually call on someone by their actual name.

"Gwen! Congratulations, soldier. I'd go to war with you anytime."

I thought about that for a moment and smirked, thinking about who of the two would probably be kicking the most ass. It certainly wasn't Chef, that's for sure.

"Congratulations, Gophers, on yet another victory," Chris said to the winning team as he appeared out of seemingly nowhere yet again. "Gwen, I gotta say, I'm beginning to like you more and more as time goes on."

"Thanks, Chris. I wish I could say the same to you," Gwen replied with a smirk, and Chris just rolled his eyes.

"Bass," he said, gesturing toward the losing team. "I'll see your sorry butts tonight at the bonfire ceremony. Again."

"Oh, quit rubbing it in, Chris..." Courtney grumbled onscreen as she walked away.

Duncan, on the other hand, walked up to his opponents in what was assumed as either good sportsmanship or deviousness. "Once again, Gwen wins it for her team. What would you do without her?"

Many of them didn't share Duncan's smile, one exception being Heather. "Why do you think I haven't voted her off yet?" she asked. I wasn't sure if it was jokingly or not, but I didn't find it funny.

The scene cut to the bonfire ceremony. Chris was, yet again, dragging out the ceremony with an introduction. Courtney didn't seem to worried about leaving, and I didn't blame her. At this point, I was beginning to wonder exactly why she was voted off now instead of any other point in the game. She didn't seem to be under anyone's skin during those three days.

Chris began calling out the names of the Killer Bass. One by one, they claimed their marshmallow, until it was down to two: Harold and Courtney.

And to the surprise of... well... _everyone_, actually, even us here at Playa des Losers, despite the fact that the proof that this had happened was in the very same room as us, Harold got the last marshmallow.

Things got even more fishy when Duncan, Geoff, and DJ stood up for Courtney, Duncan saying that none of them voted her off. But Chris didn't care. With smug grins on their faces, Chris and Chef dragged Courtney down the dock and threw her into the Boat of Losers.

Still confused, Duncan ran down the dock and gave her a gift: a skull carved out of wood. How romantic.

...

Well, I guess it depends on the person too. Some actually might find that romantic. Like... uh... Duncan. Yeah, Duncan. Whoo! Dodged a bullet there...

The scene cut back to the bonfire, where Harold was roasting a marshmallow. He turned to the camera, made an evil grin, and said, "Yesssssss," as if he had succeeded in pulling off a devilish master plan.

And, as it turns out...

Enter confession cam. Harold had the ballot box in his hand. He opened it with his Swiss army knife. "You guys think you're sooooo funny." He pulled out the ballots from the box and switched them with his own ballots. "Let's see how you like it when someone messes with your love life."

Whoa...

We all stared in shock at the screen. Everyone, even Courtney, was speechless.

Then... Chris appeared in the confession can.

"Hey, Court. How you doing?"

No one said a word.

"If you really must know, yes, we know about Harold tampering with the votes. Now, if you're wondering why we didn't do anything about it, well... Let me put it this way, Court. We lost out on dessert, and you lost out on a hundred grand." He held up a fish to the camera--the same fish Courtney placed in their refrigerator. "Payback. My anti-drug."

And with that, the tape ended.

And we were still struck silent.

-X-

A lot of Courtney fans give Harold a hard time because of what he did, even long after the whole thing blew over. But if you ask me, Harold didn't deserve any of it. It was Chris that had the final say. He knew about what Harold did, and he could've taken him out of the game instead of Courtney.

So in the end, Harold didn't screw Courtney over.

Chris did.


	37. Benedict Harold

**Alright, just so you all know the situation:**

**Depending on if I'm able to get that far, I will try to go as far as I can throughout the entire Total Drama series as a whole. Yep, that's right. I might even go through Total Drama, the Musical if I can make it that far.**

**And that is one of the reasons why I've been updating this so much recently. I want to try to get as far as I can before I lose interest again. Now, it's gonna be hard to balance out with college work, but I promise you that I'll do my best to not let you down. I may be notorious for losing interest in stories and, as a result, failing to update them, but this fic has been a lot of fun to write so far, and gives me a good excuse to watch episodes of Total Drama over and over again. XD So I doubt any lack of interest for this story will be permanent.**

**Also, for those of you who are worried that me going into later seasons will result in a fic so long that one's eyes will bleed by the end of it, don't worry. I've decided to split up the seasons. That's right, at the end of TDDDDI, this story will finish, and I will make a sequel for TDA, and another for TDM if I ever get that far.**

**For those of you who have taken the time to read this author's note, thank you. You guys are the reason we have author's notes in the first place. XD**

**Total Drama is owned by Fresh TV.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Six: Benedict Harold**_

It wasn't long after the silence ended that Courtney began abusing her cell phone, trying to get the names of the best lawyers in Canada for what would soon be her "War on Chris." I didn't blame her. I wasn't even upset at Harold for what he did--being bullied myself before, I understood it. Sometimes when you get bullied enough, you snap and do something you will later regret. No, I wasn't upset at Harold at all. It was Chris that upset me. Though I have to hand it to the guy, he's good at coming up with excuses. But still... I hope he knows what he just got himself into...

We were all in the cafeteria, sans Courtney, who was still in her room calling up law firms. And it was a good thing too, because the next thing we knew...

"Hello, everyone!"

My eyes widened, and I heard several gasps around me.

"Oh, dude! You gotta hide!" Tyler quickly shouted.

"Huh?" the newest addition to our list of losers asked, dumbfounded. It was as if he forgot what he did just three days before.

"Dude! Courtney knows!" I shouted as well, hurting my throat as I did so.

At that, his face went pale. "GOSH, seriously?!"

"Yes!"

"Oh, man!" He began to panic. "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna--"

He was cut off by a gasp, and everyone stood silent. I saw everyone's eyes shift to an area of the room I couldn't see at the moment, but judging by the gasp... I had a good idea who made it.

"YOU!!"

Yep. I was right.

"HAAAAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!!" I heard her scream as the poor gawky teen ran for his life out the doors he came in, Courtney hot on his trail.

A long silence followed, but Noah eventually broke it. "He's screwed."

-X-

From what I was told, Harold had managed to evade Courtney. The nerd had a keen sense of knowing where to hide, which kept the CIT out of his hair for the time being. Also, luckily for him, Courtney often gave up her searches when taunted by Tyler, Izzy, or Noah for her inability to find Harold's hiding places.

It was the day after Harold came to the resort, and the poor guy wasn't able to enjoy it. Izzy told me he was hiding in a crawlspace she told him to try. Courtney luckily hadn't found it yet.

No one at the resort liked what Courtney was doing to poor Harold, but no one dared to confront Courtney about it, until...

"Um... why are you doing this, eh?"

"Go away, Homeschool. I'm trying to find Harold." She began checking under the tables in the cafeteria, hoping to spot someone between our legs.

"Um... seriously, though... why?"

"Because Harold's a traitor," Courtney finally answered him.

"Court--" I tried to cut in, but she stopped me.

"Don't even start, Cody." She turned back to Ezekiel. "Harold cheated me out of one hundred grand. He was a liability to the Bass, and he went against the team's wishes and illegally took me out of the game to spite Duncan." She held up the wooden skull Duncan gave her and began to "examine" it, or so it looked. "He's a traitor to the Bass _and_ to his fellow man."

"Hey, Court?" I spoke up, and she rolled her eyes as she turned to me.

"What?"

I glanced at the skull still in her hand and smirked. "Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio..."** [1]**

"Ugh!" Courtney scoffed and walked away.

I turned to Ezekiel, who seemed to be deep in thought. "You okay, dude?"

"...Is Harold really a traitor, eh?"

I glanced away for a moment before giving Ezekiel my response. "Look, I'm not gonna get involved in anything Courtney's pulling, okay? But you believe whatever you wanna believe, 'kay?"

"Um... okay..."

Ultimately, Ezekiel, and a few others, found Harold to be what Courtney called "a traitor." Now, don't get me wrong--what he did was traitorous, so in a way... yes, he really was. But the people that sided with Courtney seemed to have forgotten was that Chris was also at fault in the end. He knew about it, and he did nothing. In fact, he flat out told Courtney and everyone else here at the Playa des Losers that he screwed Courtney over.

Well, if no one else will, I'll defend the guy. At least mentally. Physically, I wouldn't do a very good job, especially not at the moment.

God, I hope I start feeling the effects of that miracle healing the doctors told me about soon...

-X-

Well, what do you know?

My prayers were answered the next morning.

It wasn't much, but during physical therapy I was actually able to turn my head slightly and raise my hands about a centimeter. The doctors said it would still take a few weeks and a couple surgeries before I could finally kiss this wheelchair goodbye, but Sadie and I were still very happy with my progress.

"Man, I can't wait 'til I can move on my own," I sighed softly. "Do you think I should've gone with that reboning thing?"

"I don't know," Sadie shrugged, "but that's not up to me, Cody."

"I know." I decided it'd be best to drop the subject. "Do you think Courtney's going to kill Harold?"

"I hope she doesn't... but yes," she admitted. "He's dead."

-X-

Sadie and I told the others the good news, almost accidentally revealing Harold's hiding spot as I heard, among the cheering, a "Boo-ya--Oh crap!" within the walls. Luckily, Courtney wasn't in the mood to care at the moment.

Katie, Tyler, Beth, and Izzy all congratulated my speedy road to recovery with much excitement, while Noah, Eva, and Ezekiel were a lot quieter with their congrats. Justin and Courtney just smiled, but didn't say a word.

And no, it's not like I was really paying attention to that either ("Ooh, let's see who my real friends are! Kidding"), I just wanted to paint a mental picture for you.

-X-

Nothing much else happened that day, just the usual. Katie and Sadie were taking me to different areas of the resort and chatting with me, Noah kept reading his books, Eva and Tyler continued to have arm wrestling matches every so often (Eva always winning), and Harold continued to hide from Courtney (okay, that's rather new, but it would become a usual thing).

So because nothing happened for the most part, I'll skip ahead to the next day, when we received yet another video from Chris...

-X-

"Alright, everybody here?" Tyler asked our group.

"Everyone except Harold," Noah pointed out. "He's still hiding from Courtney."

"Don't mention that sleaze ball," Courtney scoffed, rolling her eyes. "He's the reason why I'm here. He took away my chances at the hundred grand; he doesn't deserve to watch his own elimination."

"...Meh, I'll just show it to him later," Tyler conceded, and pressed play.

The episode started with Chris waking up the campers with his yellow airplane. ...Alright, if you want to get technical, it actually started with a bear stealing marshmallows, but to be honest... the last thing I really wanted to think about was a bear.

After nearly making roadkill... er... airkill out of the campers, Chris landed the plane and announced the campers' challenge: "extreme sports."

"Yeah, like the challenges on the show aren't already extreme enough," Noah scoffed.

Chris explained the challenges, with Chef demonstrating each one... in very painful and horrifying ways. Needless to say, no one felt sorry for the guy. In fact, some of us were laughing our asses off.

Then Chris told them what the winners' prize was going to be: a mobile shower.

"Owen sure could use that," Noah smugly pointed out.

"You have no idea..." I chuckled.

Chris told the campers to take a twenty minute break for breakfast, then left them in the dust... literally.

"Sometimes, I really don't think he cares about their health," Tyler said.

"Sometimes?" Noah asked cynically.

The scene cut to Owen eating Chef's food (I think Owen's the only that could probably digest that crap), but the interesting thing was... there was something in it... er, on it, actually.

Owen ate it before I could give it a good look, but luckily for my curiosity he burped it out. It appeared to be a love note...

Chef, just now noticing the note that once decorated his food, which made me wonder if he even knew what the food he cooked looked like, picked it up to read it. "'For the girl with smoldering eyes'?" he read questioningly. He shrugged it off and threw it down.

And guess who found it... well, one of the two, anyway...

"Ew, Bridgette actually picked that up?" Katie shuddered. "It was in Owen's mouth!"

"Ew, I know, that was so gross!" Sadie added.

Oh, and for the record, no, I wasn't referring to Bridgette.

The love note turned out to be a corny haiku, and frankly, I was hoping for one of them to read it. What can I say? I was curious.

But I couldn't complain. What happened next though was probably just as interesting as the haiku itself was. The girls began to argue over who they thought the haiku was for. At first they were arguing that it was probably for the other, but it turned ugly and they began assuming it was for themselves.

This... probably wasn't going to end well...

-X-

The teams went back to Chris after breakfast to get ready for the first challenge. And poor Gwen had embarrassed herself with her "subtle" way of assuming Trent had written the haiku. The clip showed Bridgette's and Duncan's reactions, the latter of which induced a soft swoon from my left. Well, at least she's not yelling or anything.

The plane was now up in the air, and DJ and Trent were... almost ready to jump. Before they could, though, Chris stopped them, asking them if they wanted to sign a form for organ donations. But before he could be turned down, he realized the drop zone was coming and dismissed the idea.

Meanwhile, the Gopher girls found themselves in a bind. Apparently, the sofa-bed was a little heavy...

Gwen must've gotten an idea, because she was the first to pop her head out from behind the couch. The expression on her face told her teammates that she found the answer.

Owen was sleeping on the sofa-bed.

The four girls then decided that the best course of action would be to push the big sack of joy off the bed, but I doubted it was a good idea that they were doing it from behind. I've been caught behind that thing before--the backwind is horrific!

Luckily for them, the backwind didn't come, but they still had no luck in pushing Owen off the bed. So, Heather came up with a new idea...

"At least it'll be a soft landing," Gwen said onscreen.

As if responding to her, Tyler said, "Yep. X marks the spot."

Unfortunately, that X wasn't the spot where Trent landed...

"OOH!!!" Tyler and Noah both groaned, and I cringed at the sight as well.

"That had to hurt, eh," Ezekiel said once again.

"Did he survive that?" Courtney asked.

"Dude, I think Gwen's cursed," Tyler said.

"Why do you say that?" I replied to him.

"Well, no offense, Cody, but it looks like every guy that likes her ends up in a lot of pain."

"...Hmm. You've got a point," I agreed.

DJ's landing was a little softer than Trent's... at first. Then the sofa-bed folded up on him.

"Yeesh!" Noah... yeeshed.

"That sucks," Tyler added.

-X-

"Alright, you know what? Screw it," Chef said as he put Trent on a stretcher. "I'm not giving you an option like I did Scrawny. You're gettin' reboned."

"Nye-hya-huh?" Trent mumbled out.

"Glad you asked!" Chef exclaimed with a smile as he began an explanation quite like he did for me. When he finished, Trent looked like he was about ready to pass out.

Chris flew around the island once more before announcing the Bass as the winners of the first challenge.

"Nice going, Trent," Heather said as Chef wheeled Trent up to them.

Gwen, who actually looked concerned for the fallen Gopher, asked if Trent had anything to say to her, most likely about the haiku. Well, at least it was subtle this time.

"Yeah... is my hair messed up?"

At that, I could tell Gwen had given up on any hopes that the haiku was for her. I felt bad for her, I really did. If she wanted one, I'd write a romantic haiku for her.

...You know, if I wasn't with Sadie... or if I could move my arms...

The scene cut to the second challenge, and, much like Gwen before her, Bridgette had a not-so-subtle moment, which also backfired.

Geoff ultimately lost his challenge, ending up going headfirst and pantsless into a pile of socks. Yeah, that's always fun. Even more fun: Chris yet again had a little fun with the editing. I began to wonder if he really did have a problem with his hair and make-up with that shot, or if he did that on purpose for further humiliation on Geoff's part. Honestly, I think it could go either way...

Leshawna was up next, and the moose meant business, even trampling Chef as it smashed through the fence.

The scene, surprisingly in mid-challenge, cut to Bridgette and Gwen, still at each others' throats... in words.

"So? Your guy's a metro with a broken back!"

"So? Your guy's a grammatically challenged skater flake!"

As bad as one might take this quarrel to be, Leshawna riding the moose in the background made me laugh regardless. But the quarrel ended, as they admitted that their boyfriends didn't write the poem and it probably wasn't for them anyway, and they made up.

"What a heartwarming moment," Noah said sarcastically, but I smiled anyway.

"Yes, it is," I added, actually being sincere.

Leshawna won the challenge, by the way, and Chris started the tie-breaker round: the extreme sea-doo water-ski challenge... on mud. Lindsay and Harold were riding for their respective teams, and Duncan and Heather were driving their respective sea-doos.

Harold entered the confession can at that moment, describing all this to us. After a self-motivational monologue involving what I found to be a pretty amusing "Dirty Harry" reference, the scene cut to just outside the confession can, where Gwen and Bridgette were trying to figure out who wrote the haiku, and for whom. They ruled out Duncan and Harold right away, the latter because he had just finished his monologue, and he appeared before them wearing cheap sunglasses and no pants. Also, he tripped while leaving the can.

"Serves him right," Courtney said smugly, rolling her eyes.

As it would turn out, Gwen and Bridgette would, yet again, find no luck in locating the mystery haiku poet. If you ask me, though, Gwen got the short end of the stick. Even if the gas goes up instead of down, you don't want to be caught in Owen's crossfire.

Meanwhile, it was time for Harold's time to shine. Now, judging by the fact that he's here, I assumed... no, he wasn't going to shine. But I was still interested in exactly how and why he ended up getting the boot.

Harold was actually doing a pretty good job with the challenge. It looked like he was about to win...

And Heather knew this...

...Hey, wait...

What's she...?

And where did she get that...?

Whoa, wait...

Uh-oh...

...

...Whooooooooooooa...

"Eep! Woord of warning would've bean **[2] **nice, eh!"

"Aw, man... Why couldn't that have been Lindsay?"

"Heh heh... Tyler, playa, playa."

"Cody, are you drooling?"

"N-n-no, Sadie, I..."

"Don't lie to me now..."

"...A-Alright... Yeah."

"We're going to have a talk after this. Honesty is always the best policy, you know."

"...I'll keep that in mind..."

-X-

It was now Lindsay's turn to "mud-ski." And as it turns out, she was damn good at it.

And as you can imagine, Tyler's head was in the clouds.

"She's... amazing..."

"Yeah, we know, Tyler," Noah said in an uninterested tone, "but we don't care."

In the end, Lindsay won the challenge, much to the dismay of the Bass (especially Duncan, who found himself thrown into a tree after crashing his sea-doo, and Geoff, who stank to high heaven), and won invincibility, as well as the mobile shower.

"Poor Geoff," Sadie pointed out.

"I knoooow," Katie added. "He totally needed that shower."

-X-

It was nearing the end of the tape, and Gwen and Bridgette still hadn't figured out who the poet or the crush girl was, despite their efforts.

Just then, Leshawna appeared, and she took some interest in the note.

Chris had also been standing nearby. "Another note from your secret admirer, Leshawna?"

Tyler laughed. "Busted."

"Smoldering eyes... makes sense to me," Noah joked.

Gwen and Bridgette were dumbfounded; a part of them probably still wished it was for them. But one question was still on their minds:

Who wrote the love letter?

-X-

It was now time for a Bass to go home, and right away something didn't seem right, but at the moment, I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Bridgette and DJ ended up getting their marshmallows first. Then he pulled out a megaphone and told a treed Geoff he was safe, and I mentally slapped myself in the forehead. Duh. Geoff, that's right.

Now, I wasn't surprised that Duncan was on the block, considering the fact that Harold was probably the one that voted for him (and possibly Bridgette... I don't know for sure though...). But of course, he got the final marshmallow anyway, and Harold didn't even seem too shocked or saddened by it.

"Why did DUNCAN give him a high-five?!"

...

"Courtney, shut up," Tyler grumbled.

"MAKE ME!!"

"SHUT!" Eva began to shout slowly and clearly. "UP!"

That did it. Courtney was now silent.

"Teach me how to do that," Tyler whispered, and Eva chuckled.

"Maybe if you can beat me at arm wrestling, I will."

Onscreen, before Harold threw his stuff into the boat, he turned back to the cameras and made his farewell speech:

"Farewell, Total Drama Island. I loved, I lost... and I saw boobies... What more can a man ask for?"

"Amen to that," I said with a chuckle.

Onscreen, three girls were questioning his speech.

"You loved?" Gwen.

"You're a man?" Leshawna.

"You saw _boobies_?" Bridgette.

Harold threw his stuff into the boat, and again turned back to the crowd. "Leshawna. I meant every word of that poem."

"Whoa, what?!" I couldn't see her, but judging by that response I imagined Courtney with eyes the size of beach balls.

"Playa, playa," Tyler jokingly said.

"Um... noo he ain't," Ezekiel pointed out. "He's oot o' the game; he can't play anymoore, eh."

And in a moment that could only be captured by either an insane reality TV show or a weird-ass movie with no dynamic camera usage and gawky, messed-up humor, **[3] **Harold and Leshawna embraced, Leshawna planting a kiss on his lips, causing the girls to swoon and the boys to look on in indifference. In the end, Chef had to pull Harold away.

...I still wanted to know what was in that letter, dammit.

"Well, doesn't say much for her taste in men, huh?"

"THAT'S IT!" I saw Eva stomp past me. "CAN'T YOU SEE WE'RE TRYING TO WATCH THE SHOW HERE?! SHUT! UP!! OR ELSE!!!"

"...O...Okay..."

"Thank you." With that, Eva walked back over to her seat.

Well, despite that outburst, we didn't exactly miss much, just Leshawna chasing Heather down for showing Harold her boobs. Now, I know she didn't intend to do so, but I was certainly hoping Leshawna would catch up to the witch and teach her a lesson in manners.

"Aaaaand it looks like that's it," Tyler said as the tape ended. "Darn... I gotta wait another three days before I can see Lindsay again..."

"Um... well, at least you're not waiting a week," I said, trying to cheer up the jock.

"True..."

"Also, didn't you say you're going to be showing this to Harold?" Noah asked.

"...Oh yeah, that's right." He grinned. "WOO! I got an excuse to see Lindsay in that rocking bikini again!"

I chuckled. Well, at least I'm not the only perv here, right?

Sadie stood up. "Now, Cody, about that talk..."

I gulped. I forgot about that.

"Right, Sadie," I chuckled nervously. "We're going someplace private, right?"

"Uh, duh!" she exclaimed as she walked behind me. "Maybe at the dock?"

"...You're not gonna pull a Beth on me, are you?"

I got a very nasty look from Beth at that, and I quickly apologized.

"Nnnnooooooooooooooooooo..."

...Well, I was still worried about what may happen to me during this "talk", but at least I wouldn't end up at the bottom of the lake.

-X-

"Cody..."

"Y-Yeah?" I asked nervously.

"How come you lied like that before?"

...Why _did_ I lie before? I mean, I know I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but now that I put some thought into it... she knew I was a perv. I wouldn't have needed to.

I still answered her as truthfully as I possibly could. "I just... didn't want to hurt you, y'know? I mean... I didn't want you to think I would take her over you or anything, 'cause I wouldn't. She's just too mean."

"...You liked Gwen, though, didn't you?"

...

"She was pretty mean, wasn't she?"

...

"...Cody?"

"Yeah, I guess she was... but that's a different mean. It's the island that's making her mad and all. Heather's just... awful..."

"...True..."

"...Look, just because someone is hot, it doesn't mean I want to be with them or anything..." Oh crap! I bit my lower lip. I really need to think about how what I say can be used out of context before speaking.

Luckily, she didn't. "Well, I'm glad. Heather's a witch."

I blinked a few times, and smiled. "Take that 'w' and switch it with a 'b'."

"...'Bell', I'm glad?"

"What?"

She giggled. "Kidding."

I sighed with relief and chuckled along with her. "Funny."

"I try."

"...So, you wanna go back to the others?"

"...Uuuuummmmmmmmmmm... nope!"

"No?"

She kissed me on the cheek. "Nope. Let's stay out here for a while."

I beamed. "I'd like that."

And she sat on the dock next to me, and for what felt like an eternity we stayed there, looking out to the beautiful waters of Muskoka, Ontario.

**-X-**

**[1] From Shakespeare's "Hamlet." During the speech Cody is alluding to, Hamlet is holding a skull.**

**[2] Actually, "been"**

**[3] Yes, that's supposed to describe Napoleon Dynamite. Fitting, eh?**

**-X-**

**You may have noticed this chapter is a little longer than most. Yeah, see, I'm going to try to gun for longer chapters now so there won't be SO GOSH DARN MANY! XD So, if I remember to keep doing so, expect an "episode recap" in every chapter, at least until there's enough people at the Playa des Losers that we can have much more interesting interacting being done. : )**

**And also, sorry if you were expecting more "Harold vs. Courtney" moments. Since no one gets eliminated next time, there may be more to come in the next chapter. ...Maybe...**


	38. Are You Gonna Eat That?

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Are You Gonna Eat That?**_

"Oh, Haaaaaroooooold..."

...

"You gotta come out sometime, Haaaaarooooold..."

"Courtney, just give up," I finally said. "It's Chris you want to kill, not Harold."

"Did I ask you?" She returned her attention back to her surroundings. "Come on out, Harold. You gotta eat sometime."

"Um, people have been feeding him," I pointed out.

"WHAT?!"

"I know. Shocker."

"Those… traitors!"

"Yes, because making someone starve is clearly not immoral. Didn't you say once that even pigs deserve a meal?"

"Shut up. Oh, Haaaaaaaroooooooooooold..."

"'Oh, RAAAAAAAVEEEEEEEEEEEENS!!'" Izzy shouted.

Noah looked up at her in astonishment (well, rather _negative_ astonishment) to her randomness. "Really? _Really_?"

"Hey, I bet DJ or Chef would've found that funny," Izzy defended.

"...Right..." **[1]**

"Hmmph!" Courtney gave us all menacing glares. "You guys just don't understand. I was cheated out of the money, so--"

"So killing a guy is going to make it all better?" Noah asked intuitively.

She rolled her eyes at us. "I'm not going to kill him. Beat him to a pulp, maybe, but not kill him. What, you wouldn't do that if someone cheated you out of a hundred grand?"

I looked at Noah, who glanced back with indifference. "Not really," I finally said. "I never thought I was going to win the money anyway. I just wanted to meet new people."

"You... you didn't think you were going to win?" she questioned. "Then how come you signed up for the show?"

"I told you: to meet new people. See, I don't really need the money, Court. And if I would've somehow miraculously won, I probably would've given it to a competitor I thought truly deserved it."

Noah gave me a smirk. "Like... Gwen, perhaps?"

"Hey, there's a reason why she's here," I told him. "I don't know what that is, but why else would she be here?"

"...I don't know, maybe someone dared her to do it?" he shrugged.

"Meh, I highly doubt Gwen would go through all this crap because of some dare." Ironic, yes, I know. **[2]**

"Well, still," Courtney defended, "I came here with the intentions of winning the money, and I don't take kindly to being cheated off."

"Well, I can't exactly know how you feel about this whole thing, but I still feel it's a little too far," I said. "I mean, for God's sake, I'm in a wheelchair! You don't see me wanting to kick that frickin' bear's behind all the way to Vancouver, do you?"

"This is different. I was cheated out--"

"I'm starting to miss the 'I used to be a CIT' moments," Noah interrupted.

"Ugh!" And yet again she stormed off.

"...What's up her ass?" Izzy asked, acting (I doubt she was serious) clueless.

"Maybe she's just on her--"

"Noah, don't even joke!"

"...You're right, I shouldn't go there."

"It's Courtney; she's always PMSing."

I looked at Izzy like she was crazy...er. Crazier. "Izzy, you certainly have a way with taking things lightly."

"Nope. Truth be told, I hate periods. Give me a break! _Who does?_ I mean, you guys are lucky. _Very_ freaking lucky, alright?" She jumped onto the table and started pointing and glaring at us. "I betcha if you were girls, you'd be all 'Oh, sweet! I'm a chick! This is hot! Massage the boobies, massage the boobies, massage the boobies, massage the boo--OH CRAP!! BLOOD!! EVERYWHERE!!' War zone... pain... screams... agony... 'Make it stop, dammit!' Then it ends and you go back to masturbating. It's a very strange cycle."

...

I had to look at Noah, just to see if his expression matched mine. I assumed it did. Eyes big as saucer plates, mouth so wide open you could fit a watermelon inside... Yeah, I think my expression matched his quite well.

"Alright, now if you'll excuse me I've got a fugitive to feed," Izzy announced, jumping off the table and leaving the room.

"...Cody?"

"...Yes, Noah?"

"...I'm beginning to think that we're the only sane ones here."

"Hey, guys?"

I looked up at Tyler, as I'm sure everyone else in the room did when he spoke up.

"Um... no one showed up today."

"Huh." Noah shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe everyone did so terribly, no one person could've been voted off."

"Or, it could've been a free day," I added.

"Actually, you are both wrong."

Our eyes shot to the new voice, or rather, an old one--an all-too-familiar old voice. "Chris?!" Tyler blurt out.

"CHRIS?!" I heard angry stomps as Courtney reentered the room. "I hope you have some good lawyers, you son of a bi--"

"Relax, Courtney. I come in peace," he chuckled. "First of all, since I do realize I may have made a terrible judgment call with your dismissal, I'm going to offer you a chance to come back on the show. Cool?"

"...Oh?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat. "But first thing's first. I have something to say to all of you, so listen up." When he got the attention of everyone in the room, he continued. "Now, I can only imagine that there is some sort of tension among all of you. Some of you don't like each other very much. So I'm going to give you all the chance to remove not one, but TWO people from the Playa des Losers. If you want to get rid of someone you don't like, vote for them to leave the resort. I'll be back tomorrow to see who you have chosen." He held up a makeshift ballot box, which was really an empty Kleenex box. "You can vote for both people, but if you wish to vote for one person or not vote at all, that's your decision. Cody, if you want, since you can't exactly move your arms, would you like me to write down your vote for you?"

"...Um... sure."

"Alright." He pulled out a pen and paper. "Cody, tell me your vote. And to show you guys that I'm being legit, Tyler, watch me write and make sure I don't lie." Wow. Either he's crazy, or he's actually not trying to be sneaky. But wait... there has to be a catch, right? What does this guy have planned? "Now remember, you can vote for anyone that you don't want to see at Playa des Losers anymore. Perhaps you're mad at them, or perhaps you're afraid they'll kill you... doesn't matter, just vote."

"...Um... alright..." I didn't have to think about my first choice at all. "Courtney."

"Hey!"

"Courtney," Chris repeated as he wrote it down. Tyler nodded to confirm that Chris was being truthful in his writing. "And...?"

"...Um..." I really couldn't think of another person I really wanted to kick out. I mean, I had two people in mind, but I didn't hate them or anything. And they were both pretty friendly to me. But Beth knocked me into the lake, and Eva's just so... intimidating. I'm afraid she's gonna blow up someday and use me as a punching bag. "Um, can I just have the one vote?" I finally asked, not being able to come up with a decision.

"Alright, so that's one vote for Courtney," Chris proclaimed as he put the ballot in the box. "Who will end up getting kicked out of the Playa des Losers? And will it be the last time we see them? And why do I look so damn handsome when I smile?" He flashed his teeth--the sparkle almost blinded me. "All these things may or may not be answered next time on Total! Drama! I--"

"You're not on camera, Chris," Noah pointed out.

"...Geez, spoil the fun, why don't you?" He gave the ballot box to Tyler. "I'll be here tomorrow to reveal the votes. And Harold: no tampering, dude! I know you're listening somewhere, and I gotta say... good luck, man!" He chuckled and walked out the door.

I looked at the ballot box in Tyler's hand. There was no way Chris would be this nice to us. Why would he send home two people we, as a group, don't like simply because we don't like them? Wouldn't that just give him more reason to keep them here?

Something fishy was going on here...

-X-

"So who are you two voting for?" I asked Katie and Sadie as we sat (me in my wheelchair, they in lawn chairs) together outside the resort.

"Sorry, Cody, but my lips are sealed," Katie said, making a motion with her hands to mimic a zipper zipping shut. "Secret ballot."

"Oh, pfft!" Sadie took a sip of her soda. "It's just Cody." She addressed me next. "I'm probably going to vote for Courtney too. And maybe Eva because she's got some maaaaaaaaajor anger issues, I tell you."

"I know, right?" Katie added. "I'll probably vote for her too. ...Whoops! I forgot... secret ballot."

I chuckled. "I won't tell anyone. Besides, you know my vote already."

"Yeah." Sadie took another sip. "I hope she goes home. Then poor Harold won't have to be hiding all the time."

"Yeah."

**CRASH!**

What the heck?!

"IZZY, GIVE ME BACK MY MP3 PLAYER!!!"

...Oh, boy...

-X-

When Sadie, Katie, and I entered the resort, we gasped at the sight. Furniture was tipped over. All sorts of crap lay everywhere.

All because Izzy decided to take Eva's MP3 player for who knows what reason.

"...Maybe I should've voted for Eva," I mumbled quietly.

-X-

The next day, the votes had been cast, and Chris was back to reveal them to us. He also held a videotape in his hand, which Tyler gladly accepted. "Alright, the votes are in! Let's see who is leaving the Playa des Losers! Drum roll please!" No drum roll came, but he pulled a ballot out of the box anyway. "First vote is for... Izzy and Eva!"

"WHAT?!" Eva shouted. "WHY ME?!"

"...Uh, gee, I don't know..." Courtney began, "but maybe it had to do with you and Izzy trashing the place yesterday. Some of us spent _all night cleaning it up_."

"...Touch-y..."

"Second vote," Chris exclaimed as he pulled out another ballot, "is for... Izzy and Courtney!"

"Hey!" the CIT yelled.

"Third vote is for... Eva."

The bodybuilder growled at the host.

"Fourth vote is for... Izzy and Eva! Fifth... Courtney. Sixth... Courtney and Eva. Seventh... Izzy and Eva. Eighth... Justin and Eva. Ninth... Courtney. Tenth... Izzy and Harold. Eleventh... Izzy and Courtney. And finally, twelfth... Izzy." He counted through the ballots again, probably calculating how many of each name was said. "Alright, it's official: the two people voted out of the Playa des Losers are... Izzy and Eva!"

Courtney laughed. "I guess you guys couldn't get rid of me that easily, huh?" She turned to Tyler, then to me. "Yeah, I got a pretty good idea who wanted me gone. Don't think I'll forget this little game."

"I'm sure you won't, Courtney," Chris replied. "Remember when I said yesterday that you had a chance to get back on the show?"

No. Freaking. Way.

"See, the two people voted out of Playa des Losers... will be put back on the show."

...

Chris, you evil frickin' genius.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

"Temper, temper, Courtney," Chris said, smirking. "I said I gave you a chance, didn't I?"

"YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM MY LAWYER, CHRIS!!" And with that, she stormed out of the room.

"...Okay, anyway... Izzy, Eva, if you two could come this way. First of all, before we get on the island, I need you to keep the Playa des Losers a secret. Don't tell anyone about it. Lie if you have to. Izzy, I'm sure you won't find any problems in that department."

"Nope!"

"Good! Now, here's what we're gonna do..." Chris shut the door after they left, so I didn't hear anymore of their conversation.

Silence had fallen on the rest of us for a few seconds, before Tyler, Noah, Katie, Sadie, and I began to laugh. Chris, sometimes we hate you, sometimes we really can't stand you... but that day... that day you were the most awesome man on the planet.

"Heh heh... Alright, who wants to watch..." he checked the label, "...Brunch of Disgustingness with me?"

"Sounds disgusting," Noah stated matter-of-factly.

"Bah, it can't be that bad..."

-X-

It was.

It didn't start that way, though. A day without having to eat Chef's "breakfast" sounded like a good start. Unfortunately, there was a reason why breaky wasn't served.

First thing's first, though: the teams were disbanded. The Gopher guys were moved to the Bass cabins, and... uh... Bridgette moved to the Gopher cabin. Or, rather, hell. And by hell, I mean the war zone between Leshawna and Heather.

Now, I wasn't sure what Heather was trying to pull with Bridgette, but I assumed that she didn't really want to befriend the blond surfer girl. In fact, knowing what little I knew of the witch, she probably just wanted to make Bridgette her next alliance member. After all, Beth was gone, and Heather probably didn't feel confident with having just Lindsay under her wing throughout the contest. Two members a strong alliance does not make.

While the guys were partying and having a much better time, the girls continued to argue, mostly over Bridgette, who in the end decided to be on Gwen and Leshawna's side, despite her wanting all the girls to get along. It was a good decision, I thought, since she seemed to be on good terms with Gwen anyway, and that Heather was pretty much the source of all the quarrels among them in the first place.

It was now time for the challenge, and the campers were in for a treat... a very nasty tasting treat...

"I do not envy them, eh," Ezekiel noted.

"Me neither, but that prize sounds lovely," Katie added.

"Anyone get a Fear Factor vibe from this?" Noah asked.

Chris revealed the first dish: bull testicles.

"I do," I answered.

"What's Fear Factoor, eh?"

"Heather seems to be enjoying them," Noah chuckled.

"Oh, dude, nasty," Tyler groaned, though he was also laughing.

The girls ultimately won the first round, and I had to say... there were so many bad jokes that I or anyone else could've said... but out of respect for what the girls just did, we kept the jokes to ourselves.

The second dish... pizza. Now, that may not sound so bad, but then again what makes you like or dislike a certain pizza? The toppings, right? Well... have you ever had a grasshopper, jellyfish, and live anchovy pizza?

If you have, then nevermind.

Of course, you all know me enough by now, so you could only imagine my reaction when Gwen "convinced" Heather to eat the pizza. Specifically speaking, a grin from ear to ear was involved.

Bridgette managed to get Lindsay to eat her pizza slice using meditation. Meanwhile, Trent had to be force-fed his slice. In the end, though, it was Leshawna who caved in, and the boys won the second round.

The third course was up next, and it was... earthworm spaghetti with slime and hairballs.

"...Okay, I take it back," Noah said. "Even Fear Factor's not this brutal."

The guys won this round as well, as they used what I call the "out of sight, out of smell, out of mind" method.

Round number four... was soup--"French Bunion" soup, as Chris called it--most likely containing things that originally came from Chef's own body. ...Was that a curly "Q"? Good God!

The girls ultimately won the round, thanks to Bridgette's... rather brilliant idea of using a funnel to down the soup as painlessly as possible.

"Girl's got brains," Noah commented. "I like."

"Calm down there, Noah," Tyler chuckled. "She's taken."

"Hasn't stopped Cody," he jokingly replied, and I chuckled too.

The next course was literally a giant gumball made up of smaller pieces of chewed gum.

"...Ookay, that is tootally grooss, eh!"

"...And nothing so far has been, Ezekiel?" Courtney asked him.

"...Good point."

The round ended up going to the guys, especially since none of them had problems swallowing gum in general.

Skunk shakes were next. Again, the guys somehow managed to (just barely) come out on top.

Next came some smiling flip-flops. This time, the girls came out victorious.

I had no idea what the hell the eighth course was, but the girls won that round too.

By the time the ninth course came around, I was afraid of the campers' survival. Some of them literally looked like they were about to die.

Then, Chris revealed the final course: dolphin wieners.

And Bridgette and DJ both refused to eat them.

"You're kidding, right?" Noah groaned. "After all the crap you ate before now, THIS is too far?!"

"Totally! I'd soooooo eat a dolphin wiener before all that other stuff," Sadie added.

"Pfft! If I were still in the contest, I'd have no problems getting Bridgette to eat that hot dog," Courtney claimed. "All it would take is positive reinforcement mixed with stern leadership."

"Oh, please. You wouldn't even make it to the ninth round, Court," Noah spoke up. "Wouldn't want someone to pull up a file of you eating bull testicles during any future elections."

"Shut up!"

Since the teams were now tied, Chris came up with a quick tie-breaker round. Owen and Leshawna were both chosen by their teams to be the eaters. It was no surprise, but Owen won the match for the guys, having drank the most shots of blended cockroach. Yep. You read right.

...And if that wasn't bad enough...

...everything they ate...

...came back up.

"UGH!!" many of us groaned in disgust. "Damn!"

"I am soo glad I was vooted off first, eh."

"We know, Zeke. We know."

-X-

So the guys had won the two-day luxury treatment, and the girls were stuck on the island... with Chef Hatchet. Oh boy...

But at least the girls seemed to make the most of it, or at least Gwen and Leshawna anyway. In fact, they locked Heather and Lindsay out of the cabin as soon as they got in. In the end, Heather and Lindsay had to sleep in the old Bass cabin, amidst the mess and the odor that comes with the boys' cabin package.

The tape ended.

"That's a shame," Katie said, shaking her head. "Leshawna, Bridgette, Gwen, and Lindsay totally deserved that spa treatment after all that."

"True, but does Heather?" Sadie pointed out.

"...Good point."

"Boy, are they in for a surprise, though," Tyler brought up. "Eva and Izzy are going to shake things up, I bet."

"Oh yeah. They better watch their backs," I agreed.

"Yeah, I'm sure they won't be messing with those two for quite some time," Noah added.

-X-

It wasn't even twelve hours...

"Oh, crap."

"Yeah, yeah. Guess who's back... again..."

"Damn, that's gotta be a new record," Noah mumbled, still in shock that the brute was back so soon. "I mean, I know you'd be a threat and all, but one would assume you'd be a powerful ally too."

"Yeah, well that's the thing, Pencil Neck," Eva growled. "They're afraid of me. They think I'm completely irrational. I can be rational, dammit!" She slammed her fist down on a table. Hard. "...Anyway, Cody, how are you holding up? Gettin' better?"

"Not much better than the last time you saw me, but it's progress," I answered, smiling at the brute in blue.

"That's good." She turned her attention to everyone else in the room. "I'm going to the gym. Don't bother me, don't talk to me, don't even make eye contact. _I. Am. Pissed. _We clear?" No one answered. "Good. Now if you need me, DON'T NEED ME." Then she stomped out of the room.

Another moment of awkward silence followed... and once again, Noah broke it.

"...This place has a gym?"

**-X-**

**[1] Everything from "'Oh, RAAAAAAVEEEEEEEEENS!!!'" to the endnote marker is a very convoluted reference to **_**Treed Murray**_**, a film that both Carter Hayden (VA of Noah) and Clé Bennett (VA of Chef and DJ) have major roles in. The quote itself comes from a night scene where the main character of the film calls out to the dangerous gang because, according to him, if he was going to die anyway at the hands of the smaller gang (who were shown to be afraid of the deadlier "Ravens"), he might as well have them all die with him.**

**[2] It's ironic because, despite the fact that Gwen does have good intentions with the money, she actually **_**was**_** dared into signing up for the show by her brother.**

**-X-**

**VOTES:**

**Ezekiel - Eva**

**Eva - Izzy, Courtney**

**Noah - Izzy**

**Justin - Izzy, Eva**

**Katie - Izzy, Eva**

**Tyler - Izzy, Courtney**

**Izzy - Justin, Eva**

**Cody - Courtney**

**Beth - Izzy, Eva**

**Sadie - Courtney, Eva**

**Courtney - Izzy, Harold**

**Harold - Courtney**


	39. Explosive Like Eva

**Pardon the generic Oban: Star-Racers title pun in the... um... title.**

**I own nothing.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Explosive Like Eva**_

The next few days weren't very fun for us at the Playa des Losers. Eva often gave us death glares, and I could guarantee many of us were worried she would snap and kill someone.

Luckily for me, Eva never lifted a finger at me. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't think it was because I was in a wheelchair. If anything, I figured it was because she actually respected me somehow. You know, because of what I went through. Plus, she didn't seem so envious anymore of my rapid healing rate.

Everyone else, though... whoa boy... If it wasn't a death threat, it was a finger... a _certain_ finger.

I felt bad for them, really. I mean, the only reason I wasn't getting the treatment, as far as I knew, was because I survived a bear mauling (and still somehow kept my charming good looks... hehehe). And I think the worst of it was the fact that she figured that everyone wanted her gone. She was second to leave the first time around, and when she was brought back she was kicked off the same day. Not to mention the fact that the vote we took was to get rid of a camper from Playa des Losers, not to send them to the island; if we would've known that, well... I certainly wouldn't have voted for Courtney, that's for sure.

I decided to talk to Sadie about it one day.

"I feel really bad about Eva."

"Why? She's all mean and nasty to us."

"It doesn't mean she's a bad person. She could just be misunderstood."

"Like Courtney or Heather could be misunderstood?"

"..."

"...Or Gwen?"

"Don't even joke about that."

"I wasn't joking."

"Gwen's a good person!"

"Alright, if you say so."

That... probably wasn't the best idea.

-X-

"Yeah, well if religion and science coincide so well, what about the theory of evolution then?"

"Well, that's the thing, eh. It's a theory, not a proven fact."

"Touché."

"What's up, guys?" I asked as Sadie wheeled me toward Noah and Ezekiel in the main lounge.

"Religious debate," Noah responded before quickly adding, "a _healthy_ religious debate."

"Yeah, you doon't get much o' them, eh," Ezekiel chuckled. "I knoow 'cuz my dad's done it a few times, and booth o' them get all woorked up and start yelling. That's... not a very good debating technique, if you ask me. It doon't exactly make you, um, want to choose a side, y'knoow?"

"Definitely," Noah added. "That's why I'm agnostic. Both sides drive me nuts."

"Agnoostic?"

"It means you're in the middle. You don't exactly believe in God, but you don't exactly disbelieve in him either. It's like... you know, they have no proof, so you go 'Maybe there is, maybe there isn't'."

"Ooh. ...Never met someone like that, eh."

"I hear there's plenty of them in colleges." **[1]**

"Um... don't mind us," I said, "but we're going outside, 'kay?"

"Religious debates make you nervous, Cody?"

"No, just debates in general," I replied with a wink. Sadie let out a giggle before turning my wheelchair around. "See you guys later."

"See ya, Coody."

-X-

"So, what's the real reason why you wanted to come out here?"

"What real reason? I just hate confrontation."

"Hmm. That's weird. For someone who hates confrontation, you sure like to create it with Courtney."

"Sadie..."

"And you sure like to defend Gwen a lot."

"Sadie."

"What? It's true, isn't it?"

I sighed. Very seldom did we have these petty arguments, but every time we did, I felt I was in danger of getting hurt--or even worse, hurting Sadie.

"Okay, I hate confrontation when it has nothing to do with me, alright?" I took another deep breath. "But I'm going to defend myself or people I care about when they're getting hurt by someone else. Courtney is on a literal manhunt for Harold, who actually has to hide like Courtney's a Nazi or something. And you know I care about Gwen, and I'll defend her whenever someone says something bad about her."

"How many times have you defended me?"

"I haven't had to all that much. Not many people hate you here. You're too lovable."

"Awwwww..." She seemed to forget about the entire conversation at that moment. "That's so sweet. Alright, come on. Let's see what Katie's up to."

"You don't like alone time all that much, do you?"

"Why are you complaining?" she asked, leaning around the chair to wink at me. "Hanging around two hot girls like us all day..."

"...Good point..."

-X-

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

Yep. Gotta love it.

"Like, O-M-G, Justin is, like, so hot."

"Well, duh. He's, like, a model." Sadie turned toward me. "Cody, you think Justin's hot, right?"

"...That's not my department, ladies," I chuckled. "Ask the girls, or maybe Owen, but not me."

"Aw, come on. We're not gonna think you're gay or anything."

"Yeah, I mean, you're the little lady lover. Who'd think you're gay?" **[2]**

Meh, alright. I pondered a little, trying to envision the male model in my head. "Eh, won't say he's not, but he's not the hottest guy in the world."

"But you do admit he's hot, right?"

"...Sure."

Sadie and Katie squealed, and I began to wonder if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

-X-

It was the third day after Eva's second return (though it didn't feel like she left at all) when we received, practically on schedule, the next video. Tyler read the label. "'No Pain, No Game'."

"Makes an awful lot of sense," Noah commented. "At least he acknowledges the fact that this game comes with pain and suffering."

"This sounds like something I'd be good at," Tyler sighed, "or at least something fun."

"Probably the latter," Beth added jokingly before quickly taking it back. "Oh, I'm sorry, was that too mean?"

-X-

Well, I don't know exactly what Tyler finds fun, but I doubted this was it.

The video started with the girls awaiting the boys' return. None of them looked like they were in a good mood (even Lindsay, and that's saying something). In fact, there seemed to be a lot of tension among the girls. Not that that's surprising, mind you, but it made me wonder if anything else had happened over those two days that Chris decided to leave out.

Well, the guys did come back, and though it was good to see them in a good mood, I doubted they really even cared about the girls' feelings about the whole thing. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy with their (though probably unknowingly) poor sportsmanship. However, I did feel bad for Owen when Leshawna separated him from his cherry blossoms.

"Ookay, you mean to tell me that I was woorse than them?" Ezekiel outburst, surprising (I assume) everyone in the room. "I woulda never bean that rude aboot the whoole thing."

"Keep digging your ditch, Homeschool," Eva growled.

"Eva, if you hadn't noticed, he was defending girls, not belittling them," I pointed out.

"Give me one good reason why I should care."

Chris' voice sounded on the loudspeaker, and Eva made her dramatic return.

"Ooh, sounds like they weren't happy to see you," Noah said.

"Shut up."

"They were even trying to reason with Chris to get rid of y--"

"SHUT UP! And they would've done that with anyone!"

"Would they with Justin? Or Cody? Or..."

"Do you WANT me to kill you?"

"Touch-y."

Then, Chris announced the second person to return to the island: Izzy.

"I gotta hand it to you, Eva," Noah continued, "you're a good actress."

"...Thanks."

"You both are," Tyler pointed out. "Izzy came up with that lie pretty quickly."

"EEEEEEWWW!!!" Sadie and Katie both squealed in horror. "That fish thing was SO nasty!"

Also a little squeamish from that, it took me a few seconds to regain my composure before I could speak. "I think what, uh, makes Izzy a good liar is the fact that she never makes all that much sense in the first place."

"Hear, hear," Noah added in agreement.

Onscreen, Chris told the campers to get ready for their next challenge, and they all went to their respective cabins. And if the girls didn't already have enough problems, Eva was causing more for them.

"Were you really that pissed?" Tyler asked.

"Yes."

"No wonder they got rid of you."

"You want to die too, don't you?"

-X-

The challenge Chris had in store for the campers was a modified version of the classic game Say Uncle. Noah just had to point out to us that it wasn't actually "Uncle" originally, but he kinda lost us all in his explanation. **[3]**

"You know, when I first saw that wheel," Eva remarked, "the first thing that came to my mind was 'Raw Roulette." **[4]**

"Turtle puck shots?" Noah commented. "I don't want to know how bad this is going to be."

"Maybe it's a new Mario game?" I joked. "Super Hockey Koopa Strikers."

No one laughed. I blushed in embarrassment.

Well, Duncan managed to win his round, but for a price.

"How will he father Courtney's children?" Tyler chuckled.

"Well, if he's in jail, how can he?" Noah morbidly added.

"Shut up!" Courtney shouted at them, and with a snicker they quieted down.

"Oh boy..." Sadie mumbled, and I returned my attention to the screen. "Cody, shield your eyes."

"I'm fine, don't worry." Really, I was, though I felt a little bad that there was some tension between the two on the screen. Yep, Gwen and Trent. I thought she had forgiven him about that beach thing, but I guess it stayed lingered in there for a while. Trent's little spa day probably didn't help either.

But Trent managed a good save, and Gwen seemed to forgive him. I smiled. I couldn't be upset about this even if I tried. After all, she was happy, and that's what matters.

Marshmallow waxing. That was the next torture--Lindsay's torture.

Poor Lindsay thought she was going to get a real waxing treatment...

...and Chef threw the damn thing on her face.

I heard gasps all around me, including my own.

"Jiminy Chrishtmash!" I heard Beth shout at one point.

"Ouch!" Trent said onscreen. "That had to hurt." He leaned down toward Gwen. "I don't think I would've made it through that one."

Gwen smiled and began to explain, "That's because guys are total wimps when it comes to two things: beauty and pain."

"No doubt about that," Noah commented.

"Glad you agree," Eva (here, obviously) added.

"Amen to that," I chuckled.

"I bet Homeschool never thought of that, huh?" Eva continued.

I frowned. "Alright, that I won't 'amen to that' too."

On screen, Eva managed, rather easily, to get Lindsay to give Bridgette the next challenge.

Though mostly appalled throughout that moment, Tyler still had let out a chuckle when Lindsay did her little growl.

Reluctantly, Bridgette walked up to the barrel of leeches, until Geoff nobly took her place.

"What do you know?" Justin stated. "He is like a more successful you, Cody."

"...Thanks," I mumbled sarcastically.

Unfortunately, despite how freaking close Geoff was to getting to ten seconds (and I mean REALLY freaking close!), he didn't make it, and was out of the challenge.

"...Was that 'new seat' really necessary?" Sadie asked.

"Maybe it's so Chris's small brain can remember who has to go yet," Noah remarked, leading to several light chuckles around the room.

Owen's challenge was next, and there was only one thing we could say about it.

"...Woodpecker. A surprisingly fitting name, if you think about it."

It took Katie and Sadie a while to get that one, but when they did... "EEEEEWWWWW!!!"

Next challenge...

Again, Katie and Sadie went, "EEEEWWWWW!!!"

"And you LIKED her?" I heard Courtney ask, and I could only assume she was referring to me. But I didn't acknowledge her question anyway. People have nose hairs, damn. Get a grip.

Next challenge involved DJ and a python. Good God, I can't believe he even survived that. I mean, if he didn't die from being crushed, I figured he'd die of a fear-induced heart attack.

Unfortunately, the big guy's phobia did come into play, and he was the second person out of the challenge.

Next up, Bridgette had to wear a shirt of bees. I don't even know how she managed that.

But then came the fun part. Since Bridgette didn't complain, she could choose who can go next. And everyone was chanting the same name...

And reluctantly, Bridgette decided to pick that person.

Eva.

Oh dear...

Onscreen, Eva went into the crate with Sasquatchinakwa, which sounded like a bad name from a variation of a Mario baddie in a Mario RPG. **[5]**

In the end, the bodybuilder not only survived, but she seemed to have made herself a new "fangirl outfit" out of some of the sasquatch's fur.

"Damn," Noah mumbled in disbelief. "So, where's that outfit now?"

"I don't know. Chef took it and put me in a straitjacket," Eva answered.

-X-

A part of me really wished I was still in the game, I will admit that. But I have to say... I have got to hand it to these guys. I don't think I would've been able to do the things they did, especially the things even they failed to do.

Trent had to do what Chris called the Skunk Jump. And he didn't quite make it. Good luck getting that smell out, dude.

Gwen tried and tried, but simply could not handle new age music. I feared for her life.

Lindsay was afraid of getting her hair sawed off via chainsaw. I feared for her life too.

Owen lost his brain freeze challenge. I feared for his life too.

Izzy's challenge was next. She got electroshock therapy via electric eels... and she liked it.

"...Maybe it's a good thing we got rid of her," Tyler commented, and I chuckled.

Izzy must have forgotten what the overall challenge was about, because she chose HERSELF for the next challenge: the poison ivy spa treatment. Because of this, no matter whether she beat it or not--she did--she would eliminate herself.

Finally, there were two girls left in the challenge. Now, judging by the fact that Eva was one of them, I already knew that the other, Leshawna, was most likely going to win. But I wanted to see what happened anyway.

"The Grizzly Bear Logroll?" Noah asked. "He's really trying to kill them, isn't he?"

"What was your first hint?" Courtney added.

"Um... the cliff dive?" Sadie pondered.

"No, the picture pose," Katie reminded us. "What if one of us couldn't swim?"

"Good point," Tyler agreed.

-X-

In the end, Leshawna became the victor, and since everything was riding on the mall girl, Eva was taking out of the challenge.

"Friggin' Bass sympathizer," Eva (here) mumbled under her breath, but I caught it.

The campers were sent to make their votes, and if it wasn't already obvious who they were going to vote off, even if she wasn't sitting and fuming in the same room as us, Chris decided to air the votes at the bonfire ceremony.

A little commentary on this particular moment:

"Um... what's that TV attached to, anyway?" Sadie asked.

"Eeeeeeeeenh!" I assumed that was supposed to be a buzzer sound effect. "Wrong, Duncan. It wasn't HEATHER that got me kicked off!"

"Poor Bridgette."

"Poor nothing! She's a TRAITOROUS BASS!!"

"Just like HAROLD!!"

"Not even close!"

"Oh, right, like voting YOU off fair and square was traitorous."

"Like listening to your CIT nonsense isn't annoying enough to drive ANYONE to cheat you off."

"Well, looks like they're all dead."

"Not Duncan."

"...You wouldn't kill Gwen, would you?"

...Yeah, that last one was me.

"Meh... I didn't kill anyone," Eva mumbled. "Not worth it."

"Yeah... we're going to have to work on that a little bit," Noah said. "If you decide not to kill me, I'll help you out with your anger issues."

"...Well, I guess some real anger management would help."

On screen, Eva was put in a straitjacket and dragged to the boat, where she began to violate her verbal agreement, almost revealing the Playa des Losers to the other campers. Izzy managed to drown her out by distracting the others by announcing an impromptu party at Leshawna's new trailer.

Then the ending of the episode came, and I had to say... I was a little disturbed.

And not by the animals, either.

"Hey look," Courtney chortled, "it's Sadie."

"Courtney, if you weren't a girl and I wasn't in this chair, I'd sock you one," I simply, calmly retorted.

"Pfft! You'd probably break your hand all over again."

"Well, if you want, I'll do it for you," Eva said, standing up.

I could literally hear Courtney gulp, as well as, in the distance, someone within the walls shouting, "Do it! GOSH!"

"Wait--what was that?" Courtney quickly stood up and walked around the room. "Harold, was that you? Oh-ho-ho-ho! When I find you... Oh, when I find you..." She marched out of the room, on a mission, no doubt.

I blinked a few times, then decided to respond to Eva. "If you want to."

"With pleasure." She stomped off. A few seconds later, we heard a shriek, and Courtney ran back into the room.

"OKAY! Okay! I'll stay away from Harold!"

I chuckled as Eva reentered the room. "Nice."

"I'm not sure how long this will last, but I don't think she'll be messing with Harold for quite some time." She smacked her right fist into her left palm. "Right, Courtney?"

Courtney's expression quickly changed from horror to anger. "You can't derail me that easily. One of these days, I will find Harold. I will throttle him. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"Well, I could kill you."

"You don't have the guts..."

Whoa...

She meant business.

This wouldn't end well. I was sure of it.

**-X-**

**[1] Going by personal experience, but I highly doubt that just my college alone has several agnostic students and professors.**

**[2] No real reason for this endnote. I just loved this little bit of irony.**

**[3] If you would like to know what it was originally, either Google it or start watching Johnny Test.**

**[4] A reference to a segment called Raw Roulette on WWE Monday Night Raw, done once a year, I believe, or perhaps whenever they feel like it. The General Manager spins a wheel, and whatever it lands on is what kind of match the wrestler will be in. That way, it's all by chance (though considering it's professional wrestling, it's probably staged anyway) and the wrestlers can't quite train for it (again, probably staged).**

**[5] Mawful Mole, anyone? (Just an example; there's plenty more)**

**-X-**

**I'm having a major problem with one of my TDI DVDs that I hope is temporary. If not, then well... so much for a friggin' four disk set. But thankfully, I remembered I also recorded the episodes off of TV just in case I could never find the DVD, and I didn't erase them, so I can always use them or YouTube as points of reference. Not sure if it's legal, but that's fandom for you, right? And it's not like I'm making money off this stuff anyway. They'll probably go after those guys first. XD**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's probably more filler than anything, especially since I've got so many ideas for things much later on in this and the TDA sequel that keep nagging at my head more than the current situations, and I feel like I may be rushing through some of this to get to those moments faster. I hope that doesn't mean this chapter is any less entertaining or enjoyable, but if it feels rushed, that's probably why.**


	40. Complications Pt 1

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Complications, Part 1**_

Of course, the "fun" for that night didn't stop with Courtney vowing her vengeance on Benedict Harold. No, to add to all this "fun" and "excitement" and any other word that Chris would use that really meant something like "painful", "awkward", "lethal", or the like, guess who was the next one voted off.

...And yeah, this would be under the "awkward" category, but there could possibly be potential of "painful" and "lethal" somewhere in there.

Trent. TRENT. I didn't understand it. Why did they vote him off? Did they want Gwen to suffer or something? I mean, sure, in the end it's every camper for themselves, but... why so soon?

And worse... can I even talk to Trent after all this? I mean, you know... giving Gwen up, being mauled by a bear, everything that's happened since, including Gwen's choice words during the trust challenge... Will I be able to talk to my friend?

"Hey, Codester!"

Well, maybe I can if he can.

"Hey, dude," I greeted, and he gave me a little wave. "What's going on? Why were you kicked off?"

"Honestly, so much happened that I'm not quite sure myself." I wasn't sure if he really couldn't quite grasp why he was voted off or if he was hiding something. The man is an enigma at times. "So, how's it going? How long 'til, uh... 'til you're walkin' again?"

"Not sure yet," I told him, "but I'm making lots of progress. Check it out!" I rose my arm a little, and made a small kick with one of my legs. "The doctors say at this rate I'll be able to move on my own before the show's over, but... it's gonna take lots of physical therapy."

"No big deal. I'll help you out," he offered with a smile. "I've had to go through stuff like this before. You'll be on your feet in no time, man."

"Um... thanks." I was stunned by his generosity. I really did make the right call, didn't I?

"No problem, dude." He gave me a smirk. "Also, I heard from Tyler that you're in a little, uh, relationship. Sadie, right?"

"Yeah."

"Is that the hot one?"

"..."

"..."

"...Does it matter?"

"No, just curious."

"Sadie's the... uh... rounder one."

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"The one that pelted Courtney with apples?"

I chuckled. "Yep."

"Ah, yeah, that was awesome," he said with a chuckle of his own. "Don't tell Courtney I said that though."

"She probably wouldn't have heard you anyway," I told him. "She's too busy tracking down Harold."

"What did he do?"

"He rigged the votes and got Courtney canned."

"Whoa, really?" His eyes widened. "Dang. I didn't think he had it in him."

"Me neither."

"And Chris didn't do anything about it?"

"Nope. He pretty much told Courtney flat out that he screwed her over."

"Damn." He scratched his head in thought. "You'd think she'd be trying to hunt Chris down instead."

"Yeah, well... it's Courtney," I said.

"True..."

"So, uh, where is Sadie?"

"Um... I think she went to the bath--"

"Hi, Trent!" Oh, there she is.

Sadie walked up to the musician and gave him a little wave, before gasping. "Oh, sorry, you're probably having a man talk or whatever."

"I was thinking about chatting with Cody in private for a moment, yeah." Whoa, really? About what?

...

Oh...

Um... Is this really a good idea?

"Oh, alright then. I'll go see what Katie is doing then." I swear she skipped away.

Once Sadie was a safe distance away, Trent stepped behind me and started guiding my wheelchair toward the pool area. "We need to talk, dude."

"I was afraid so."

"Don't worry. It's nothing bad."

We stopped in front of the hot tub. Trent took a deep breath before speaking again. "Cody?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

...Huh-wha?

"For what?"

"You know... Gwen."

...Oh.

"What are you thanking me for? I barely did anything."

"Gwen told me you were telling her about me, too. If it wasn't for that, we'd probably still just be good friends."

I sighed. "...Yeah... Just friends..."

Trent must've noticed my discomfort. "You still like her, don't you?"

Whoa, what? My jaw dropped and I began to stammer. "Uh-uh-uh, I, uh, dude, you know I'm with Ka--uh, Sadie, now, right?" HOLY CRAP!! I almost said 'Katie'! What the hell?!

"Dude, it's cool," he assured me. "I'm not gonna hate you for liking Gwen. Just don't try anything funny, and we'll be cool."

Um... okay.

"...You seem uncomfortable. Wanna wait 'til tomorrow or something to talk about this?"

"Y-y-yeah, maybe that'd be best."

"Alright." He began to wheel me back into the resort. "Tell Katie--"

"Sadie," I corrected quickly, still horrified of my bumble before.

"--Sadie I said 'Hi', okay?"

"Okay..."

I think it was at that moment that things began to get... complicated.

And if you're wondering how, well, let the power of story reveal these things to you.

-X-

The next day, Trent started helping me with physical therapy. Being someone that got hurt almost as much, if not just as much, as I do, Trent knew a lot of different physical therapy exercises that, well, eventually helped a great deal. In the next two days I was able to move my arms and legs so much that even the doctors were startled silly, especially since I didn't look to be in any pain (maybe I was a little bit, but nowhere near as much as I was sure they were expecting).

Other than the physical therapy, Trent and I didn't exactly hang that day, which was weird because of the night before. Didn't he want to tell me something? Or did he still think I wasn't ready to talk to him about... whatever he wanted me to talk to him about?

My thoughts drifted away when Sadie walked into my room. "Hey, Cody?"

"Hmm?"

"Um... can I ask you something?"

"Uh... sure."

"You love me, right?"

I frowned. Why would she ask that? "Sadie, you know I love you."

"I mean, _really_ love." Something was wrong here.

"Sadie, are you okay?" I asked.

"Y-yeah, just asking."

Then... she just left.

I sighed. Things were going so well... What happened?

-X-

The next day wasn't much better. In fact... it was even worse.

And I didn't even know how bad it was until the end of the day.

Trent wanted to talk again, and this time we were in my room.

"Is this about Gwen?" I asked right away, already knowing the answer by the look on his face.

"Yeah. Uh... look, I gotta be level with you. Stuff happened."

If I could sit up in my bed, I would have. "What...what happened?"

"...I... I-I swear it wasn't my fault! It was a mistake, I..."

"Trent, calm down!" I shouted. Man, what happened?

"He-Heather, uh, tricked me, and, uh, kissed me."

...What?

"What... what did she say?"

"I... I really don't remember anymore... and I don't care either." He sighed in what I assumed was despair. "I don't even know if Gwen forgives me for that."

"Oh, I'm sure she does, dude," I said, forcing a smile. It was kinda hard with Trent being a sorry sack in front of me. "You know Gwen loves you. And if you say you were tricked, I'm sure she'd understand. I mean, heck, if I believe you weren't at fault, I'm sure she'll believe it too."

"...Thanks, man. But... I didn't get much of a chance to prove to her that I wasn't. She avoided me a lot after that. Plus, Shawny didn't take the situation very well, either."

"Oh, I can imagine." Poor guy. I really hoped Gwen didn't hate him after all this.

"...Cody?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for listening, man. I really needed someone to talk to, and I figured you wouldn't mind talking about Gwen."

"Not at all," I said, my smiling less forced now.

"Yeah. I just hope I didn't blow it. Gwen's amazing, you know?"

"You don't have to tell me twice," I chuckled. "Gwen's one of the most amazing girls I ever met." The second I finished that sentence, I paled. "Uh, uh... I mean..."

"No, it's cool," Trent said, smiling. "Just don't try anything, 'kay?"

"I won't," I assured him. "Gwen's not into me; you have nothing to worry about there."

"Alright."

"I'm sure you're fine, man."

"Yeah... um... So, do you still, uh, like Gwen?"

"Dude, I'm with--"

"I know, I know. But it's just... you seem to know a lot about what's happening on the show. Do you know what she--?"

"--Said about me after the rock climbing challenge?"

"Ooh," Trent brought a hand up to his chin. "You... know about that, then."

"We're not out of the loop, no."

"...And... you still like her?"

"What can I say? She's a very special girl. You're a lucky guy, Trent. Even if things don't work out, you can still say you were with one of the most amazing girls on the planet." I sincerely smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"Thanks, man."

"Only saying the truth."

"No, I mean thanks for all you've done for Gwen and me. I'd say I wish Gwen could see this side of you, but... then maybe she wouldn't be so in love with me then, huh?"

I chuckled. "Dude, trust me. I'm sure if she saw this side of me, she'd still love you more. Besides," I closed my eyes and my smile widened, "I'm with Sadie now. Gwen can't have none of this even if she wanted it."

"Now that you brought it up, why don't you tell me about Sadie?" Trent asked, curious. "I mean, how did that come about?"

"Katie set us up," I admitted, "but I'm very happy she did. Sadie's really wonderful."

He nodded in understanding. "She seems pretty nice."

"Nice doesn't begin to describe it."

He grinned. "Looks like you're lucky too, huh?"

"You know it."

He rubbed the back of his head. "So, um... if you don't mind me asking, how do you know about, uh, all the stuff that's happening? Does Chris tell you?"

"He shows us," I explained. "He gives us rough cuts of the episodes every few days, usually on challenge days."

"Oh. So, what, tomorrow we'll get one?"

"Maybe. Depends on whenever he decides to bring it."

"Ah, alright." A pause followed, and he rubbed the back of his head again. "I'm gonna leave you alone, okay?"

"Alright."

And with that, Trent left me in my room. I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure about him, but things, to me, seemed a little awkward at the end there.

But before I could give it anymore thought, Noah came into my room. "Hey, Cody. Chris brought the tape today."

"Wow, really?" That was quick, even for Chris.

"Come on, Tyler's about to show it." He helped me into my wheelchair and wheeled me out of the room.

-X-

The first thing I noticed when Noah and I entered the room: Katie and Sadie weren't there.

"Dude, where's Sadie?" I asked Tyler, but he just shrugged. I was a little worried, yes, but something told me that she just didn't feel like watching another episode. I don't blame her either. I don't like being in the same room as Courtney either.

Tyler put the tape in the VCR. "And now, without further ado, 'Arrrgh, Mateys! This 'Ere Be a Treasure Hunt.' God, I hope he changes that title."

The footage started with Leshawna waking up and leaving her trailer. I was expecting her to suddenly transform into a Disney princess and start singing songs about her trailer. Hmm... a black Disney princess. That's an interesting thought. **[1]**

The scene cut to the dock. From the clothes resting on it I knew Trent had been there, and I assumed he was swimming. Sure enough...

"Hey, Beautiful," Trent said after he emerged from the water. "What you sketching?"

Sitting against a nearby tree, Gwen looked up when she heard Trent address her. "Nothing," she said, rather nervously, I thought, and continued with her sketching. A camera popped out of its hiding place behind the tree, and the footage caught from it showed up next, revealing a drawing of Trent topless.

"Ah, so _that's_ why she didn't want me to know about it," Trent chuckled. "She's a really good drawer though. I'd think it'd be hard to draw someone like me."

"Yeah, your head does seem like it'd be hard to draw," Justin joked, but Trent didn't take it very well.

"What was that about?"

"Oh, nothing."

"...Wait, you can talk?!"

"He shocked us, too," Noah admitted.

Gwen had gone straight to the confession can after shoving the camera away.

Once in the confession can, Gwen sat down, sighing, as she often did when starting a confession. She took a moment to think before opening her mouth. "Look, let's get one thing straight. I absolutely, positively don't have a crush on Trent. I'm so over it. I mean, come on. Sure, for a week or two, I was into him, but..." She stopped, frowning at the camera. I could've sworn she was biting her lower lip. Then, she stood up, and simply walked out, blushing wildly.

The cut switched to Chris, dressed as a pirate.

"No. No way," Noah began, and Tyler's should-be-trademarked chuckle filled the room.

The television host fired a cannon, and the cannonball blew up Leshawna's trailer.

"Ooh! Tough break," Tyler commented.

"Darrgh, mateys!" Chris, in a pirate-like accent, said into his megaphone. "Meet me at the amphitheater in five minutes, and I'll tell you about today's challenge!"

Soon after the announcement, the campers had appeared at the amphitheater. Chris and Chef were on stage, standing next to something hidden by a tarp. My first guess: the campers were having communion. Nah, I kid. But still, something was weird about this...

"Well, my little scallywags," Chris began, still talking like a pirate, "have we got an adventure in store for ye!" Oh, brother.

"Figures," Noah said, noting the obviously fake parrot tipping over. "No self-respecting bird would ever perch itself on Chris's shoulder."

Chris continued with his explanation of the challenge. It was a treasure hunt... sort of. As it turns out, the campers were not hunting for treasure chests, but for the KEYS of treasure chests, many of which weren't even hidden, but they were in rather dangerous places.

The campers were summoned to take a "clue" out of the bucket Chris had with him. Whichever clue they chose was the key they were looking for. The nosy man that he is, Chris even helped some of the campers figure out what their clues meant--bah, who am I kidding? He flat out told them where they all were.

"So much for 'clues'," Noah mumbled.

After Chris sent them on their own, Heather went straight toward the confession can. Upon entering it, we could tell she was annoyed. "If this isn't the dumbest challenge yet..." she mumbled before turning to the camera and straightening her hair. She sighed. "I don't know who came up with these lame-o challenges... and memo to Chris: those pirate tights do not exactly flatter your legs, savvy?"

Someone knocked on the door of the can. "Anyone in there?"

"Ugh!" Heather groaned. "Owen, go away! It's a PRIVATE confessional!"

"But I like using the confessional!"

"Ugh... FINE!" She opened the door--again, sweet effect--and stepped out. We could hear Owen getting smacked upside the head before the big lug replaced her on camera. Closing the door, we saw the big guy in all his... um... is "glory" really the right word for this?

Suddenly--so sudden that no one was prepared for it--Owen cheered. "Woo-hoo! I am all about the treasure hunt! Yes!" His expression quickly changed to fear. "The bears are a little concerning," his mood instantly changed back to excited, "but there's treasure!"

"Well, he's going to die," Noah stated.

"He almost did," Trent admitted.

"Same with everyone else on the show," Justin pointed out.

Onscreen, Trent was contemplating how to avoid the sharks to get to his key above the water. An idea in mind, he ran back to the cabins.

"Trent?" He stopped and turned, seeing Gwen. "What's up? Did you get your key yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Want me to help?"

"Nah, I got this." Despite this, she followed him to his cabin. "Just let me change into my swimming trunks quick. I think I know how to get past those sharks."

"Ugh, what is it with Chris and these sharks?" she asked, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend before he entered his cabin. She stood next to the door, sighing. At one point, she even tried to sneak a peek, but restrained herself. "Boy, now I know how Cody feels."

I chuckled, despite the fact that a few people were looking at me as if I was about to have another breakdown. Come on, people! That was funny. ...Well, I thought it was, anyway. And really, if the joke is about me, shouldn't my opinion be all that matters? **[2]**

Eventually, Trent came out in his swimwear, and headed for the beach. Curious, Gwen followed.

Suddenly, the screen cut to the confession cam with Chris. "Yeah, I took this whole chunk out. A guy fishing--not very exciting."

The screen cut back to Trent, who had some fish in his possession. He walked to the dock and threw the fish into the water, away from the wooden pole that his key was hanging from. The sharks made a bee-line for the fish, and Trent jumped into the water. Gwen watched in fear, and luckily Trent obtained the key, causing her to smile.

I grinned. "Good job, Trent."

"Nah, that challenge was pretty easy."

"I'm not talking about the challenge."

"...Huh?"

"He means you made Gwen smile," Noah explained dully.

"...Oh."

Onscreen, Heather was trying to complete her challenge: obtaining a key from Chef's fridge. Yeah, good luck.

She walks over to the fridge and opens it.

"Oh, dear Lord," Tyler mumbled. "She's screwed."

The screen cut to Gwen, who had to get a key from a skunk hole. She didn't look very thrilled about it.

Trent had walked up to her. "Are you okay?"

She held her nose. "Ugh... my key is in that skunk hole. Skunks totally freak me out."

Noah scoffed at this. "The quote-unquote 'soldier' of the group is freaked out by skunks?"

"Hey, lay off," I scolded, and he shut up.

Onscreen, Trent gave Gwen the idea of flushing the skunk out of the hole.

"Great idea, man," I told Trent, impressed by his quick thinking.

"Yeah... Thanks..."

"Is that why they voted you off?" Noah inquired. "They thought you were a threat?"

"...Not exactly..."

Onscreen, back at the lodge, Heather and Lindsay were about to go all Mission: Impossible on Chef Hatchet's ass.

"Hehehe... Stealth mission," Noah chuckled.

Tyler swooned. "Lindsay's so hot when she's aiding someone in a spy-like situation. I just wish it wasn't _Heather _she was helping..."

"Nice timing," I pointed out. "Chef's asleep."

"And she's got the key," Noah commented. "Now to get back out."

"Why doesn't she just run out now that she has the key?" I asked in confusion.

"Pfft! That wouldn't be as entertaining," Tyler said. "And it ruin would ruin the spy scene."

"Since when does Heather care about--"

"LINDS! DON'T LOSE FOCUS--ah, crap."

"No, wait! Let her fall and wake up Che--whoa! Nice slow-mo upside-down catch."

"Poor Chef," Noah sighed. "All he ever really wanted was a pony..."

"Ah, that was fun," Tyler said, nodding.

"Yep. Who doesn't love all that cleavage she had shown?"

"Exactly!"

The scene cut to Gwen and Trent, who had returned to the skunk hole with a bucket of water. They dumped the water down the hole and ran. A little stream came out of the hole, taking the skunk with it. And with the skunk gone, Gwen ran back to the hole and reached in to grab the key.

"Awesome job, dude," I said to Trent.

"...I take it you're still not talking about the--"

"Nope," Noah answered for him.

After collecting her prize, Gwen collected... uh... another.

"Whoa." My jaw dropped slightly. No, I wasn't upset--far from it, really--but that caught me by surprise.

"Smooth, Gwen," Noah said, no doubt smirking at the screen. "Smooth."

"Oh boy," Tyler mumbled. "Heather."

I bit my lower lip. I remembered how Trent said she tricked him. Whatever she was planning... it was being formulated at that point.

-X-

After that confrontation, Heather was the first to use the confession can. She began to explain how "boyfriend-girlfriend" is another way of saying "alliance", and that hers would be "the only one on [the] island."

"No... she didn't, did she?" Tyler groaned. He looked over at Trent, who I'm sure wasn't looking very happy right now. He growled. "I. Hate. That. Bi--"

"She's just playing the game," Courtney defended her.

"And you wonder why I can't stand you..."

When Heather was leaving the can, she ran into... guess who.

"Watch where you're going!" she shouted, stomping away, Gwen looking at her appallingly.

"What's her damage?" she asked herself, then turned to Lindsay. "You using this next?"

"Uh... you can use it next. I don't need to use it _that_ bad."

"Um... alright." She entered the can and sat down, positioning herself so her right foot was on the ledge, her left hand holding herself up on the ledge. "What a day. But at least this challenge wasn't as horrifying as the last few, at least for me. I'm not gonna lie: Chef's been giving me nightmares since the boot camp challenge, and not the good kind either." She stretched a little before continuing. "So... like I said, this challenge wasn't so bad, and I had a little help. That was moderately cool of Trent to help me avoid the skunk. He's okay." Hardly a second later, her expression changed dramatically, as did her seating position as she shifted so both her feet were on the floor. "Okay, he's more than okay!" She held her hands to her chest. "He's so incredible!" Then, suddenly struck with embarrassment, she lowered her arms. "But... don't tell anyone I said that!" She began to blush, looking around awkwardly, drumming her fingers on the ledge of the can. "That... was weird. I never gushed over a guy like that before." She exhaled deeply. "This is crazy." She stood up, running a hand through her hair. "I need some air. Yeah, that's it."

As she left the can, I couldn't help but be shocked at the fact that Trent was so quiet. I mean, sure, he said something happened, but... come on, if Gwen said something like that about me, I'd be ecstatic! I'd be proclaiming it to everyone at the Playa des Losers! Hell, the guys at Camp Wawanakwa would hear me!

But he was silent.

Whatever happened, it had to have been something big.

**-X-**

**[1] Y halo thar, Princess and the Frog reference.**

**[2] A little satire on the fact that sometimes the people who are offended by a quote-unquote "offensive joke" are NOT the people the joke is about, but the people who are afraid of upsetting the people the joke is about. For example, think of a time that someone said a joke about a black person, and the black guys laughed and the white guys were like "Oh, that was wrong, I shouldn't laugh at that." That's what I'm picking on here.**


	41. Complications Pt 2

**Thanks for all the positive comments. : D Forty chapters, man! This is CUH-RAZY!! ...Okay... never doing that again...**

**Also, even though it's actually the second time I make this joke, this time I actually mention it in a little more detail, and I hope I don't have to raise the rating to M because of it. XD What am I talking about? Well... you'll probably figure it out. It's near the beginning of the chapter, if that helps.**

**I OWN NOTHING!! And I profit from NOTHING!!**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty: Complications, Part 2**_

After Gwen left the can, both Lindsay and Trent had been waiting there. Blushing at Trent, Gwen stepped away, her hands still on her heart.

"Do you have to use the can too?" Lindsay asked.

"Um... yeah, I was planning on it," Trent told her.

"Okay. You can go ahead of me."

"Thanks," he said, smiling, entering the can. He sat down, smiling at the camera. "I really am stoked about this whole thing with Gwen. I never knew I'd get the chance to be with someone so awesome, you know?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Now, I'll admit that at my school, a lot of the goth kids usually creep me out, but Gwen is different, you know? She's not like them at all, but she's not like anyone else either, and that's what makes her special, I think. The fact that Gwen is so smart and independent, coupled with the fact that she's incredible to look at, is just driving me nuts! She rocks my world!" He smirked at the camera. "So yeah, I'll take a skunk shot for her any day." He took a moment to chuckle before continuing. "Seriously though, I would. Hell, she's worth all the stuff I've gone through so far on this island. Some people might be confused by that, 'cause let's face it... I've gone through lots of painful crap." He chuckled again. "But if you ask me, it _is_ worth it. Yo, Cody, if you're watching this, thanks for helping me out, man. And maybe one of these days I'll help you out, too. You didn't let me down, I won't let you down either." He winked at the camera before standing up. "Oh, and I hope you get better soon. Bear mauling, man, not a lot of people survive that. Kudos to you."

I grinned. "You're such a suck-up."

"Wha?"

"Kidding," I chuckled. "Kidding. Thanks, man."

"Oh. You're welcome."

Onscreen, Trent left the can, spotting a very disturbing looking Lindsay. She seemed to be straining as if her head was about to explode, and her legs were shaking. After she passed him to enter the can, Trent said out loud, "Man, she really needed to let something out, huh?"

Well, he was right... sorta. But he was thinking more along the lines of letting out her thoughts, not...

"Ahhhhhh..." Lindsay sighed soon after she sat on the can and... uh... dropped her unmentionables. She pulled out a magazine and began skimming through it, not realizing she was being recorded--

"Urinating," Noah mumbled in a tone that greatly contrasted the many shocked looks the others (that I could see) were giving. "I hope that's not one of your fetishes, Tyler."

I should've taken Tyler's following silence as a hint. I really should have. But I didn't. "Funny how you're the one to bring that up, Noah," I said to the jock's defense, not knowing that...

"Huh?"

...it was the Inner Noah voice again.

...Why does my Inner Noah voice like to mention urine fetishes?

Good God, what the hell is wrong with me?

"Nothing, I was just thinking out loud."

"...Right."

Thankfully, the awkwardness was short lived as our attentions were brought back to the screen. Duncan was about to undergo his challenge.

"I fell into a burning ring of fire..." I heard Trent sing.

"Not funny!" Courtney shouted. "He could get seriously hurt!"

"I hurt myself... today..."

"Ugh! You're such a los--oh, he made it." **[1]**

DJ's challenge was next. His key was hanging from a tree branch... right next to a woodpecker.

"I'm actually not surprised that DJ's scared," Noah commented, "after Owen had to face one in the last challenge day."

In other... uh... areas, Geoff was getting ready for his challenge. He decides to enter the septic tank... through a toilet.

"How exactly does that work?" Noah pondered.

"Meh, I've seen weirder stuff on this show," Eva mumbled.

The screen cut to Lindsay, who was walking toward a giant beehive.

I could hear Tyler gulp, then sigh with relief when Izzy offered to help Lindsay, then gulp again when Izzy came back covered with bees... and then yelp when the bees began to chase Lindsay.

"Apparently, no one told her that bees wait for people to surface," Noah pointed out, and Tyler gasped in fear.

We didn't get to see what happened to Lindsay right away, which horrified Tyler even more, but at least our minds were taken off of the bad when Owen started his challenge.

"Um... how did they get the key around the bear's neck anyhoo?" Ezekiel asked.

"Magic, Zeke. That's how," Noah mumbled.

"Owen sure gets the 'oh, crap' scared out of him, huh?" Tyler joked.

As Owen found himself in a horrifying predicament, the screen cut back to Izzy, who had to get a key from a rattlesnake.

"How--"

"Magic."

The snake wraps itself around Izzy and bites her.

"Ouch!"

"Um... isn't that a bad thing?"

"Yes, but at least it can't danger Izzy any more than she can danger herself."

Heather soon appeared, and my eyes rolled. And judging by the groans from a few others in the room, I wasn't alone.

"...Since when was Izzy in an alliance with Heather?"

"Something must've happened while the cameras weren't rolling."

"Either that or else Chris found it too boring to make it even to the rough cut."

"Ouch! Lindsay doesn't look too good."

"What are you talking about? Linds always looks good."

"I'm talking about the bee stings, Tyler."

"Oh."

Heather tells her alliance that she has some sort of plan in store, and I heard a sigh of despair to my left. Frowning, I tried my best to listen to Heather's plan, but after mentioning something about a love letter, the screen changed to show Leshawna's challenge...

"Oh, damn."

"Shawny's screwed."

"I hope her treasure will be worth this."

The screen changed again, and my frown managed to flip over, but not by much. If anything, I was only happy to see who was on the screen.

"I'm telling you, Bridgette, he's, like, the sweetest guy ever."

"I know how you feel. I feel the same way about Geoff."

Gwen began to rub her arm for no real reason. "Yeah, well... I could never ask for a better guy than Trent, y'know? I mean, I swear I get chills down my spine when he's around." She held her arms to her chest. "He's so amazing."

"That's great," Bridgette said, smirking. "I bet he feels the same way."

"I hope so... Oh, hold on, I gotta get something from the cabin."

"Alright. Oh, and Gwen?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping me with my challenge."

"We haven't found the rabbit yet."

"Yeah, but it's good to have someone with you when you're in the woods, y'know?"

"True. No problem, then."

They began to walk back to the campgrounds. Meanwhile, Lindsay was already there with the "love letter" that I assumed Heather was referring to before. She entered the cabin and put the letter on Gwen's bunk.

The cabin door opened. "I'll be back in a second!"

Panicking, Lindsay dived under the bunk, hiding from the goth girl.

Gwen, not knowing of Lindsay's presence, spotted the love letter. As cockroaches began to gang up on the poor blonde under the bunk, Gwen picked up the letter and opened it.

"'Meet by the Dock of Shame at 5:00 for a little surprise. Love, Trent.'"

That smile... that beautiful smile...

I don't think I have ever seen an even more beautiful smile in my life. Even Chris has nothing on her!

And...

And Trent's the one that made it.

No, he didn't write the letter, but... that's who she was smiling about. That's what made her so happy.

I was torn. Words could not describe how much I loved that smile, and how thankful I was that I made the right decision in letting her go and giving her to someone that can cause such a wonderful smile...

But I still wished it was me that made her smile like that...

My thoughts were interrupted by a sorrowful sigh to my left. Man, Trent... I mean, I know you told me what happened already, but... I would have to see for myself just how bad what happened really was.

But at this point, the puzzle was starting to become more clear, and I had a pretty horrifying hunch on what happened.

At this point, Gwen had left the cabin, followed by a freaked-out Lindsay running right through the door, screaming bloody murder.

Talk about a mood-killer.

"Hey," Bridgette waved as Gwen walked up to her. "What's with Lindsay?"

"I don't know; I didn't even know she was in there," Gwen admitted. "Must've been too busy reading this." With an ecstatic smile, she held up the love letter to Bridgette, who took it and began to read it. She let out a little squeal and hugged her friend.

"Gwen, you are totally in! Don't mess this up!" she shouted happily. "Now go and find your man!"

"But what about your chal--"

"Forget about my challenge! I'll worry about it." She let go of Gwen and handed back her letter. "This is more important. Don't hold the guy up."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Gwen replied, her eyes lost in the envelope. "He's so adorable. I don't even like pink, but I feel like hanging this up on my wall when I get home."

Bridgette giggled. "That's the power of L-O-V-E, Gwen. Now, I better get going. I gotta find this rabbit."

"Alright, see ya," Gwen said, waving at Bridgette as she walked away. Holding the letter against her chest once more, she began to walk in the opposite direction.

As this little scene ended, Noah brought up a good point. "This would've been much sweeter if we didn't know it was a fake letter."

"It would've been much sweeter if it _wasn't _a fake letter," I added.

"True."

"So... you guys... don't hate me, right?" I heard Trent ask.

"I don't know yet. There seems to be more to this plan," Noah replied. "I'll keep my judgments at a minimum until the credits roll on whatever Heather's planning."

Onscreen, as Geoff could be heard crying out from below them, Heather and Lindsay began to discuss Lindsay's next part of the plan.

"You can count on me!" Lindsay exclaimed, and I could almost sense the many frowns in the room at this alone.

"Oh, man..."

"Come on, Linds, don't listen to her..."

"Use your brain for once and don't give in."

"Noah!"

"Hey, she's no genius."

"You knoow, you're a jerk, eh."

"Says the sexist."

"I rest my case, hooser."

"Ooh, that's so offensive. Pfft. Come up with a real comeback, White Trash."

"Dickweed."

"Toque Face."

"Hey, doon't say bad things aboot my toque, you... you... mootherfoo--"

"Whoa!" I cried. "Don't say that, Zeke. That's a little much."

"Ooh. Soorry, I've been listening to some of that rap and hip-hoop stooff lately. It's kinda catchy, like a pooem with a soong behind it, y'knoow?"

"Yeah, but there are some words that you probably shouldn't repeat, or you'll piss someone off."

"Ooh. I'll keep that in mind, eh."

Onscreen, Lindsay finally found Trent.

"Hey, Travis!"

"Trent."

"Right! Um... Listen, something's up. I need you to come with me. Maybe you could help."

"Um... okay, sure."

At the dock, Heather waited for the two to arrive... very impatiently.

Finally, the two arrived. "I don't know what's up with Heather," Lindsay told him, gesturing toward the queen bee, who proceeded in crying (rather dramatically--she could've probably tried to bring it down just a smidge) against a pole.

Noah scoffed. "...And you fell for this--?"

"Noah!" Eva growled.

"No, he's right," Courtney butted in. "This is pretty fake looking. I could've sold it better."

"...That part of your CIT training?"

"Oh, shut it."

Onscreen, Trent attempted to comfort Heather, and Heather tells him that Gwen had been mean to her for no reason.

Noah scoffed again. "Here's a good reason why: _You read her di-a-ry_!"

Heather then clung to Trent and told him that Gwen had said horrible things about him.

Oh, damn.

She continued... "I feel terrible telling you this--"

Eva fake-coughed a "Bullsh--"

"--I promised I wouldn't say a word, but you should know that Gwen confided in the girls last week that she really can't stand you--"

Oh, crap...

"--and thinks you're a total cliché--"

Oh, no...

"--your music stinks, and she's only stringing you along to get further in the game."

Oh, God, no...

"But... I thought Gwen and I had a real connection..." He slumped, letting the bitch's words sink in. Yeah, I said "bitch."

At this point, Gwen had come out of the woods with the letter. Lindsay, in the trees, began to "caw" to Heather. The puzzle was starting to come together, and I watched in fear as the last few pieces were put into place.

"Maybe Gwen thinks your music stinks, but I... think you're really talented..."

No...

Then the puzzle was completed.

I watched in shock and horror as Gwen spotted Heather planting her lips on Trent, who actually seemed to be enjoying it at first.

Silence was all around us as Gwen began to break down, and it was only interrupted a few moments later when Eva let out a "Damn..."

Then, after stomping on the once cherished letter, Gwen ran off, sobbing. Meanwhile, Trent realized who he was kissing, and the look on his eyes told he was really starting to regret it. After being let go, he held his forehead, a lot obviously going through his mind right now. Angry, or perhaps just greatly upset, at Heather, Gwen, and even himself, Trent walked away, gritting his teeth in mental agony.

Man...

I really didn't know what to say.

Everything was so surreal at that moment. It was like a bad dream.

Even worse, I could practically feel Trent's guilt radiating off of him.

And if that wasn't enough...

Confession cam time with Chris McAsshole.

"And now: a true cinematic masterpiece: A Lovers' Quarrel." He began to chuckle sadistically before the screen changed to show, as much as I hate to admit it, a clever montage of cam footage:

"Jerk!"

"User!"

"I thought we had--"

"--something real. Man, was I ever wrong."

"You lying son of a--"

"--cliché--"

"--hoser--"

"--back--"

"--stabber!"

"And your art--"

"--stinks--"

"--too!"

"Bastard!"

"Ugh..."

Chris appeared again, now laughing his ass off. "Man, am I so glad I get to edit these! Did you see how those shots fit together SO well? Man, you two are such a lovely couple, finishing each others' sentences. Too bad it didn't work out so well, huh, Trent?"

I growled as Chris's session ended with even more sadistic laughter. The bastard! I hope he gets what's coming to him, the little prick!

"I... really want to kill Chris right now," Eva admitted.

"I think everyone here wants to," Noah added.

At this moment, my thoughts suddenly shifted. My anger at Chris was replaced by my worry for Trent, who hadn't said a word in several minutes now. Then, much to my worry and shock, Trent stood up silently and walked out of the room.

Oh, man...

I didn't blame him either.

Oh, if only I could walk so I could go after the guy! I didn't want to get himself hurt or anything. He's been hurt enough.

Looking back to the screen, I think Chris was trying to continue to keep our minds off the horror that just happened, or perhaps to balance it with some sort of sadistic humor, as Owen was now onscreen about to, we thought, become lunch.

It wasn't long before the issue beforehand was brought back. Gwen appeared on the screen, sitting on her bunk and crying into her pillow. Dammit all, why did I have to get mauled by a bear? What I wouldn't give to help her right now, to comfort her.

Luckily, Leshawna had shown up. She also looked like a mess, but in this case it was because she was covered in scratches, and her clothes were a little torn up.

"What's up, girl?"

Gwen looked up and noticed Leshawna's appearance. "How'd you get all scratched up like that?"

The ghetto girl twirled the key around her finger. "Ha! You should see the crocodiles." She sat next to Gwen on her bunk and put an arm around her. "What about you? What's up?"

"Well," Gwen began, reluctantly, "you see, what happened was... Trent gave me this love letter--"

"Oh, that's sweet!"

"--to meet him at the docks, and when I got there... he was there with Heather, and--"

"Say what?"

"--they... kissed..."

"..."

"..."

"...Bitch gon' pay."

Leshawna stood up and burst out the apparently newly repaired cabin door. "Heather is so off this island!"

"Apparently not," Noah commented.

Leshawna began to tell everyone she could about Heather fooling around with Trent, getting their support to vote Heather off the island. As she was talking with Bridgette, who had found the rabbit she had been looking for (but failed to get the key from what apparently turned out to be a terrifying creature), Chris announced the end of the challenge. After the announcement, Leshawna made a quick stop to the confession can.

"Ooooooooh," she said angrily as she entered. "That girl's gonna pay. No one hurts my vanilla girlfriend like that. You mess wit' her, you mess wit' me, and I mess wit' you right back. I've done my bit. I told everyone who would listen about those two-timers. Either way, one of them is history."

After that, she left the can, and stumbled upon another person waiting to use it...

"Ooh! Boy, you reek!"

"Yeah, well you walk through everyone's crap and try to come out smelling pretty," Geoff said, holding up his key. "Cut me some slack."

He stepped into the can. "Yo, dudes, what's up? Um... I'm not sure what to say right now, other than the fact that today was," he chuckled despite himself, "a pretty crappy day. Literally!" Then he frowned again. "But not just 'cuz I was in a septic tank either. Leshawna told me something earlier, and... I can't believe it! I can't believe Trent cheated on Gwen, and with _Heather_? Now that stinks, man. Even worse than me. I mean, why would you cheat on someone like Gwen, with someone like Heather? Dude's gotta set his priorities straight, man."

After finishing his confession session, Geoff headed for the bonfire pit, taking his seat on one of the stumps, which caused everyone to grimace and leave their own, taking refuge a few meters away but still holding their noses in disgust. A little scene with Izzy and a rattlesnake later, Chris got everyone's attention.

"Daaaaaarrrrr! It be time to claim your treasure! Who's fortunate enough to bear the precious key? Come forth with it!"

Those that did have keys began to collect their prizes from their respective chests. Duncan got snacks, Owen got nothing for his troubles (poor guy), Gwen got a toaster, Heather got a goody basket with, unfortunately, an invincibility pass, I'm not exactly sure what Trent and Izzy got, Leshawna got a "leg lamp", Lindsay got an accordion, and Geoff got cologne. Good, he really needed it.

Then the campers were sent to cast their votes...

"Well... if anything good came out of this," I told the others in an attempt to defend my friend, "at least Trent learned a valuable lesson in not trusting Heather."

"Yeah, like how Knuckles learned a valuable lesson in not trusting Dr. Eggman."

"Ye--wait, what?" **[2]**

"And now," Chris said after the video cut to the bonfire ceremony, "the moment we've all been waiting for. The moment of truth." He held up the plate. "Marshmallow time!" he said in a sing-song manner. "You know the routine, whoever doesn't get a marshmallow," he pointed to the camera, "it's curtains for you!"

He waited a few moments to keep the suspense high, before one-by-one throwing marshmallows up at the campers nonstop. "Izzy, Geoff, Gwen, Leshawna, Lindsay, Bridgette, DJ, Duncan, Owen, marshmallows for the lot of ya!"

Trent gasped as he realized the plate was empty.

"Sorry, dude. You're out."

Trent gasped again as realization hit him even more, and Leshawna began to rub it in.

"That's right! Take your two-timin' ways back to where you came from."

"What?!" Poor Trent had no idea what happened. "But I thought I was getting along so well with everybody!"

"I guess you were wrong," Heather said nonchalantly, stirring up ire in Gwen.

"You don't even care, do you?!" she shouted, standing up and glaring down at the witch, fists clenched.

"Hey, just playing the game."

Trent walked up to Gwen, also having a little anger stirred up inside him. "Why should you care? You think I'm a cliché!"

"Where'd you hear that from?"

"Her."

Heather waved sinisterly, an evil smirk on her face. Rolling her eyes, Gwen turned back to Trent. "You know, even after all this, I _still_ didn't vote you off!"

This confused Trent. "Then how did I get the boot?"

Leshawna spoke up, taking the blame for what happened, and Heather rubbed it in some more.

"Oh no!" Realization really must've hit Gwen at that moment, as her hands found their way to her face. Man, I really wish I was there right now...

"It's okay!" Trent said, grabbing hold of her wrists, pulling them down so he could look into her eyes. Well, at least _he_ can comfort her. ...For a few minutes anyway. "Whatever happened happened. At least we both know we're still okay." Then he frowned. "We're still okay, right?"

Gwen took a second to think about it, and then smiled genuinely at him. "Yes."

Trent put a hand up to her face, holding it to keep her gaze on him. Smooth, Trent. Smooth. "I want you to be tough and fight to the end for the both of us. I'll be watching and cheering for you back home."

Then, in what felt like an eternity, they closed in, about to kiss a second time, most likely hoping for something more romantic.

Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

"Trent!" Chris exclaimed, getting between them before their lips could touch. "You have an appointment at the Dock of Shame and a ticket to the Boat of Losers." He pats Trent's shoulder. "Let's go."

"Dickweed," Ezekiel muttered.

Reluctantly, Trent went to get his stuff, strapping the big guitar case to his back. He stepped unto the boat and flashed Gwen a smile as it drove off, posing and giving her a double thumbs up. Gwen repeats the motion, but quickly found herself crying as she waved goodbye to her love.

As if the temperature hadn't "dropped" enough in the room, I think it was at its coldest now. Everyone, sympathetic for Gwen, had a few choice words for a certain someone.

"I." Tyler.

"Hate." Eva.

"Heather." Me.

"Eh." Ezekiel.

The episode ended with Leshawna getting a little bit of short-term vengeance on the queen bee. However, even Noah agreed that it wasn't enough.

"Well, at least there's some temporary vengeance, but I'm sure more long-term vengeance would be more fitting, don't you think?"

I nodded to the best of my ability.

"Well, now that we have solved the mystery," Noah said as he stood up, "I think we should solve another one." He steps behind my wheelchair and wheels me out of the room. "We better find Katie, Sadie, and Trent and see what the hell happened to them."

"I really hope they're okay," I added. I admit I didn't think too much about Katie and Sadie's whereabouts throughout the course of the episode like I should have.

"Yeah, but let's see if we can't find them fi--"

"Hello, _Cody_."

It was the fierceness in this new voice that scared me the most. No, scratch that. It was the fact that it _was_ fierce that scared me. After all, I had never heard her so upset.

"Um... hey, Katie. Where's Sadie?"

"Oh, so you _do_ care?"

"Of course I do," I told her. "Why? What happened?"

"Oh, I think you should know," she said. "How could you break her heart like that?"

WHOA! What?! "What do you mea--?"

"Sadie overheard a little conversation you and Trent were having the other day. Something about Gwen being the most amazing girl ever?"

...Oh, no...

"Well? Would you like to explain this, _Codemeister_?"

"...Where's Sadie?" I repeated, but she shook her head. It was obvious she wasn't going to tell me.

"Come on, we'll look for her," Noah told me, and he wheeled me away from the pissed BFFF. I began to panic. Oh, man, Sadie... I didn't mean to hurt you...

I hope it's not too late...

**-X-**

**[1] Trent was singing lines to songs sung by Johnny Cash: "Ring of Fire" and "Hurt." Also note that "Hurt" was originally sung by Nine Inch Nails.**

**[2] Those of you familiar with the Sonic the Hedgehog series may know of the running gag in both the videogames and the spin-offs in which Knuckles the Echidna has, on multiple occasions, fallen for Dr. "Eggman" Robotnik's lies.**

**-X-**

**Things aren't looking very good for the Codester. What will happen now? Will he and Sadie be okay? Or will things fall apart? And will Chris ever get his ass kicked? Or will he continue to torture even the campers that have already been voted off? Find out... eventually!**


	42. Hide and Seek

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-One: Hide and Seek**_

We found her in the outdoor pool. She wasn't swimming around or looking like she was trying to blow off some steam--she was just floating there, in one spot. She didn't move a muscle. She probably didn't even hear us approach.

I was horrified beyond all measure. I even began to regret all the nice things I said or even thought about Gwen in the past few days. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I think or say those things about Sadie instead?

...Was...

...Was I not over Gwen?

...Oh, man...

"S-S-Sadie?" I somehow managed to squeak out when we were in ear range. She stirred a little, but she didn't turn toward us. I shut my eyes in remorse. "Noah, can you leave us alone for a moment?"

"Sure thing, buddy." I heard his footsteps get fainter and fainter. When I heard them no more, I started to do what men often do in situations like these: beg.

"Sadie, please..." It was at this moment that I realized... I had no idea how to beg. I wasn't prepared for this--something like this never happened to me before. I tried though, knowing it'll probably be the most pathetic thing anyone would ever see. Thank God Sadie was the only other person here. "Sadie, I... I'm..."

"Save it."

Well, at least she's talking.

"Sadie, I... I'm so sorry..."

"No, you're not."

The worst part of it, believe it or not, was that it didn't sound angry at all. No tantrums, no crying, no yelling... it was terrifyingly calm.

"Sadie, I didn't mean to hurt you. And I really want to make this work."

"But it's not going to work, Cody." She finally turned, and I saw her expression. I wasn't quite sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but she didn't look angry or even depressed. Upset, maybe, but it looked as if she wasn't phased much about anything that had happened. Heck, it made Katie look like she was completely overreacting. I dared not make that assumption, though. "Let's face it. You still like Gwen. And... I still like Justin." ...What? "It wasn't going to work out anyway." She got up out of the pool and walked toward me, and I could see now by the slightly messy make-up under her eyes that she had in fact cried, but she seemed to have gotten past it at some point. She approached and wrapped her arms around me in a light hug. "I still love you, though, and I'd really like to be buddies with you."

I blinked a few times in shock, but I smiled and tried my best to return the hug--it was still pretty hard to move my arms high enough, but by how her lips curved up against my cheek I could tell she appreciated the gesture anyway. "Best buddies," I whispered in her ear, before lightly kissing her cheek.

"Thank you." She kissed me back. "And who knows? Maybe someday we can find a way to make it work again. But right now... I think this is best."

"Y-yeah..." Okay, so maybe this wasn't what I was hoping for, but it was certainly a lot better than many worse case scenarios that could have resulted. Was I sad? Of course I was. I really was hoping that things would work out between Sadie and me. And I wished that my stupid crush on a girl that didn't even like me back wouldn't have been part of the reason. I ended up feeling like the villain.

But, Sadie still loved me. She said so herself, and I believed her. Still do.

And hell, I couldn't complain too much. I loved hanging around her. Friendship wouldn't be so bad. I mean, just look at me and...

...

Oh, boy...

-X-

One has to wonder how such an awful smell can still raise such curiosity.

"Bridgette?" I heard Tyler ask in a nasally tone--he was probably holding his nose.

"Hey, guys... Long time no see?" she asked nervously.

"More like 'long time no smell,'" Noah replied, not looking up from his book.

"Very funny," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Immediately, her expression changed as she looked around. "Nice place, here. Probably the place they had in the brochure, huh? I hope they stocked up on tomato sauce."

"Oom, oom, oom," Ezekiel spoke up, "I think they have some in the kitchen, eh. So what'cha askin' fur? Makin' spaghetti?"

...Oh, crap, that's right. Bridgette doesn't know...

"Oh, so the girl has to make all the meals, is that it?" I could tell Bridgette was no longer her usual happy self.

"No, no, you were just askin' aboot tomato sauce and I thought..."

"Forget it." She walked out of the room, startling... well... at least me. I have no idea how startled everyone else was. I had never seen Bridgette so miffed about anything; even that whole thing with Harold's love letter wasn't this bad.

Sighing, Ezekiel across from me (next to Noah) at our table. "Y'think I should go into hiding like Haroold, eh?"

"Nah, you'll be fine, Zeke," I assured him.

"Yeah," Noah added, "but if Eva starts going after you, THEN you hide."

"Ooh, ookay, eh."

-X-

I don't know, maybe it's just because I'm somehow just that forgivable. I felt the whole Noah-ear thing blew over pretty fast, and I felt the same way about this whole thing with Sadie. I know she said she still had a crush on Justin, but... I still thought it wouldn't have ended as well as it did. Especially considering the fact that Katie was now giving me sinister glares whenever I talked to Sadie in those next few days.

Sadie and I kept our word--we still stayed very close friends. Katie, well, it took a while for her to come around, but she eventually did. I'm sure Sadie had to do a lot of convincing in order for that to happen.

Bridgette never gave Ezekiel a real reason to hide. Though I did notice him glance at her every so often--something that slightly sparked my curiosity--and her giving him very evil-looking glares, she didn't raise a finger at him. Not even the one in the middle.

Noah and I met up with Trent at one point, asking if he wanted to talk about what happened. When we talked, he was still feeling terrible about what happened, but he seemed to be in much better shape. He said he hoped Gwen would still love him after all this. We agreed.

Trent also informed me that Chef was making reboning mandatory in the show. It sorta made me glad I was voted off when I was. From what he could remember, it was extremely painful.

Speaking of medical issues, I was ecstatic to find out that I was already almost done healing. I could move some parts of my body to some degree with much less pain than before.

It was now Bridgette's third day at the Playa des Losers, and she had managed to get the smell out. Just in time, too--we could safely be in the same room as her when we watched the next tape.

Speaking of which... "Oh, this one's gonna be fun. Sounds like a game of 'Hide and Seek'."

"...It is, Tyler."

"Aw, sweet!"

-X-

The rough cut began with Heather and Lindsay sitting on the steps of their cabin. Heather was angry because Leshawna tore one of her shirts. Lindsay was holding a bottle of grape soda.

"I'll have to make a mental note of that," Tyler said. "Lindsay likes grape soda."

"Make sure to note the brand of the soda, just in case," Noah pointed out.

Lindsay made a mistake of reminding Heather that she "stole" Trent from Gwen. Heather took her soda from her grasp and took a sip. Disgusted, she spit what she sipped and threw it on the ground. **[1]**

"What the hell?!" Tyler shouted, standing up in fury. "You bi--"

"Tyler! Calm down!" Bridgette pleaded.

"UGH! I'm just... so sick and tired of that stupid... jerk abusing my poor Lindsay!" He growled. "She doesn't deserve that, dammit!"

Bridgette sighed. "Well, she does do a lot of nasty things."

"Yeah, because Heather tells her to."

"...True..."

Lindsay's and Heather's confessionals were next. It was such a dramatic contrast: Lindsay was saying all sorts of praises for Heather, someone who doesn't even deserve half of those praises, and Heather was practically dehumanizing the poor blonde, saying she was nothing but a sheep, a pawn.

"That... BIT--"

"Tyler!"

"I can't help it! I hate her so much!" The jock growled, punching the wall, almost breaking his hand. "OW!" He waved it around and looked back at Bridgette. "Why does she have to do this to poor Lindsay?"

"Tyler, relax," Bridgette said, hoping to calm him down. "Remember, what goes around comes around..."

It actually worked.

"...Yeah, you're right." He sat back down. "And I hope whatever's coming is pretty damn big."

Inside the cabin, Gwen and Leshawna were talking on the former's bunk. "Girl," Leshawna began, "you got to put Trent out of your head."

Gwen, who still looked a little worse for the wear, continued to sulk. "I know. I just miss him so much already."

"Well, Baby Girl, nothing heals a broken heart like revenge."

Whoa.

Gwen looked up at Leshawna and smirked evilly. Leshawna returned it.

Perhaps Tyler would get his wish after all.

-X-

"Today's challenge is a good ol' fashioned game of Hide and Seek," Chris told the campers. They were standing on the Dock of Shame, awaiting their next challenge. "You all get ten minutes to hide before Chef Hatchet comes looking for you. With his military background and his advanced degree in manhunting, he's uniquely qualified to make this game excruciatingly hard."

Chef cocked his squirt gun, and aimed it at a condescending Duncan.

"A laser scope on a water gun?" Noah inquired.

"The lifeguard chair is home base," Chris continued. "When he finds you, Chef will try to spray you. If you escape his blast, you can try to run to home base. But if he catches you on your way, he'll douse you."

Duncan didn't seem amused. "Ooh, so we're gonna get splashed by a little water," he taunted. "Now I'm terrified!"

"Why don't you demonstrate, Chef?"

Chuckling, Chef aims the water gun at Duncan, then quickly turns it to Chris and sprays him, sending him several meters away in one powerful blast.

"NOT ON ME, DUDE!"

Several of us chuckled at Chris's fate.

"So how do we win this game?" Heather asked.

Chris reappeared on the dock a soaked mess. "You've got three options. One, don't get discovered in your hiding place. Two, run to home base before Chef blasts you. Three, once you've been caught, help Chef find other campers. Do any of these, and you win invincibility. Any questions?" A nervous Lindsay was about to say something, but Chris cut her off. "You get ten minutes to hide. GO!"

All but Lindsay high-tail it out of dodge. Realizing she was alone and vulnerable, Lindsay screamed and ran to the cabins. Chris followed closely behind.

The host found her beneath the covers of a bunk, her rear and legs sticking out from underneath it. "Uh, Lindsay, couldn't you do any better than hiding under your covers?"

"Fooled you! This isn't even my bunk."

Chris pondered for a moment, before turning and calling, "OH, CHEF HATCHET!"

Suddenly, the door was kicked open, and Chef held the water gun up, intention to kill in his eyes.

Screaming bloody murder, Lindsay sped off, not knowing she really wasn't in danger. The ten minutes weren't up yet.

"Cheater," Tyler mumbled.

"It's Chris," Noah pointed out. "He can."

Meanwhile, Leshawna was shown hiding underwater beneath the dock.

"Clever," Courtney admitted.

Lindsay's next hiding spot was the washroom. Chris, again, followed her.

Again, her hiding spot was obvious--as she was standing on the toilet in one of the stalls and didn't think to duck, her head was sticking out from behind the stall.

Chris knocked on the stall door. "Knock-knock."

"Who's there?"

"The entire viewing world."

"The entire viewing world who?"

Chris decided to end the fun there. "You're gonna have to do a lot better than that if you want to avoid capture."

Again, Lindsay found herself running off, screaming loudly.

"My guess," Chris smirked, "she's a goner."

He walked out of the washroom, no longer intending to torture Lindsay (as much as he wanted to, he had enough satisfaction with scaring the ditzy blonde already). Surprise, surprise, who else would he run into but...?

"Hey, Gwen. Trying to find a hiding spot?"

"Shut up, Chris," she growled. "I've still got a few minutes yet."

"You know, if Trent were here, he'd probably have a good idea in mind. A janitor's closet, maybe?" He made a few kissy faces, taunting her.

Scoffing, she turned around and attempted to get away from him. But he continued to torture her as she left. "Or then again, maybe he would end up leaving you buried underground again." With a chuckle, the host made his own exit.

At first, Gwen looked completely appalled with what the host said. But then... "Hmm... Thanks, Chris. I think you just gave me my hiding spot," she said under her breath as she walked toward the woods.

-X-

"Whoa!"

"Shh!"

Owen looked around, seeing the guys, then the cave they were in. "Hey, guys! Great hiding spot! Yeah!"

Poor, sad Owen...

"Listen up, boys," Duncan spoke up. "We're in trouble, okay? There are six chicks on the island and only four dudes."

"I know!" Geoff happily exclaimed. "Nice odds!"

Duncan smacked him. "No, Butt Brain! Bad odds! If I noticed it, chances are that sooner or later they're gonna notice it, too, and when they do, they're gonna pick us off one by one. We've gotta do something about it."

"It's not like they're exactly getting along," DJ pointed out. "Remember this morning?"

Chris provided a "flashback sequence." Owen and DJ were waiting to pee as the girls used the washroom. Inside the washroom, Heather had turned the hot water on while applying her make-up, which was quickly noticed by a showering Gwen (can you say "terrible camera placement"? Kidding! Just kidding). Leshawna smacked Heather upside the head for her deed, and the two began to fight. Outside of the washroom, DJ and Owen heard the scuffle. They laughed at first, but once things started to get uglier, they freaked out and walked away.

Back in "real time" (speaking in diagetic terms), Geoff was reluctant about Duncan's proposal because he had just hooked up with Bridgette. Duncan still managed to get him and the rest to go with him on this idea, though Geoff and Owen were still a little unsure (Duncan easily changed the big guy's mind through intimidation).

As the four boys declared themselves as the guys' alliance, Chef began his search. From the get-go, Izzy was messing with him by mimicking his every move from the background. Every time Chef got suspicious and turned, Izzy found something to hide behind just in time.

"That's our Izzy," Noah muttered, and Trent and I both laughed.

Geoff found a hiding place on top of a tree. It may have seemed like it'd be in plain view, but who would think to look up there?

Gwen hid under a "blanket of grass", pretending to be a hill. Clever move, Gwen. Clever move.

Izzy... was still following and mimicking Chef.

DJ and Owen somehow thought of using the same hiding spot: the roof of the lodge. Irony of ironies, they were on opposite sides, so they had no idea of the others' presence.

Meanwhile, Heather decided to hide inside the lodge, and, unbeknownst to her, is followed by Lindsay, who still hadn't found a great place to hide. She apparently thought that Heather would find the best hiding spot.

Bridgette (onscreen) walked around the bonfire pit, still trying to find a place to hide. She seemed to come up with an idea, and inadvertently gets a string of lights hooked around her leg, dragging it as she walked.

"Aw, man... I can't believe I didn't notice that," Bridgette (here) sighed. "I'm so stupid..."

"No you're not," Trent assured her. "You were probably too busy thinking about the competition. It happens."

"...Thanks, Trent."

"No prob."

Onscreen, Heather hid under a table. Unbeknownst to her, she was in for a big surprise...

"Hey, Heather!"

Clunk.

"OW!"

No one laughed harder in our room than Tyler.

"What a coincidence! We are just, like, destined to hide together!"

"What?!" Heather got up from under the table. "What are you doing here? Can't you find your own hiding place? This challenge is called Hide and Seek, NOT Hide in Groups and Seek!"

"...Right." The blonde's eyes began to water.

"Grrrr..."

"Tyler..."

"...Well, at least you dragging those lights really lightens the mood, Bridgette."

"...Not cool. ...But yeah, you're right."

"Dig yourself a hole," Heather told Lindsay, and it didn't help Tyler feel any better seeing it. "Disguise yourself as a canoe. I don't care! Just do it somewhere else!"

Suddenly, the lights clicked on. Horrified, they turned to a laughing Chef Hatchet. "This is MY kitchen! Also known as forbidden territory!"

"...Take her!" Heather shoved Lindsay at Chef and ran for it. Luckily for her, Lindsay managed to escape the big man's grasp. Both ran out of the lodge and made their way to the dock, with Chef in tow. Confident, Chef stopped and cocked his squirt gun before blasting at the two escapees. Unfortunately for Lindsay and, cough-cough, fortunately for Heather, they got hit by the blast.

"Whoa..." Tyler said rather quietly. "That'd be so much hotter if it wasn't Heather that Lindsay was lying on."

Defeated, Lindsay and Heather got up and walked back to the lodge with Chef. All three seemed to not notice the two guys on the roof. Chef entered the lodge, and the two girls sat on the steps.

Chef continued to search the lodge to make sure there wasn't any more campers hiding inside. After searching several places, he was about to give up on the lodge... until he heard a sneeze...

He looked up.

Izzy was on the ceiling.

"Now how the heck did she--?"

"Magic, Zeke."

Izzy jumped down, landing on Chef and catapulting/somersaulting off of him. After landing on her feet, she turned to Chef, and they stared each other down.

It was now time for the showdown of a lifetime.

"Oh my God, it's like an anime," Noah commented in interest.

"...What's that, eh?"

"Come on, Izzy!" Eva shouted. "Show that man who the stronger sex is!"

"Seriously, this looks like something out of Dragonball Z."

"...Oom, you never answered my question, eh."

"Homeschool, shut up."

"His name is Ezekiel."

"Oom, I doon't want to start any trouble."

"Well, for someone who doesn't like to start it, you sure do start it a lot."

"So says the woman that would kill anyone who touches her MP3 player."

"Oom, Nooah, I doon't think that was a good--EVA, NOO!"

"What was that, Egghead?!"

"Ack... gack... ack... let... go... of... my... ack... neck!"

"STOP, EH!"

"Grrr..."

Gasp. Pant. Wheeze. "Thanks, Zeke..."

"Noo prooblem, eh."

Ultimately, Izzy would be captured by Chef, but she did give him one hell of a fight.

She also found out where Leshawna was hiding, but the redhead let her know that she wasn't going to say a word.

Meanwhile, Bridgette hid behind a rock near the bonfire bit. She turned... and got startled by a family of skunks.

"Oh, boy..."

She backed away, "Nice little skunks," not knowing that she was still pulling the string of lights with her. The string pulls down a pole, which knocks Chris's oil drum into the air. It lands, of all places, right next to the skunks. Startled, the skunks spray the closest thing with a pulse to them: Bridgette.

"Ooh, that explains the smell, eh."

"Shut up, Ezekiel."

"...I was joost saying..."

"Don't talk to me."

"...Maybe I should've hid. Like that traitoor guy, eh. I woonder what happened to him."

Courtney groaned. "I wonder that myself."

Bridgette's screams onscreen had alerted Chef Hatchet, who, out of mercy, sprayed her not to get her eliminated (though she already was since she was caught), but to try to get the smell out. It didn't work.

Meanwhile, a bird landed on top of the roof of the lodge. DJ spotted it first, and headed toward it. "Aww, come here, you."

Owen heard the voice and looked up at the bird. "Wow! Either I've been in the sun too long or that bird is talking to me." He heads for the bird as well, and they both spot each other as they reached it.

Both boys gasped, now realizing they weren't alone on this roof. "What are you doing in my hiding place, man?" DJ asked.

"YOUR hiding place? It's mine! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to get up here?"

Creak.

"Look," DJ told him, "we're tight and all, but--" CRRRRCK!! "AAAAAAAAAHH!!" THUD!

Scared, Owen looked at the hole DJ made in the roof. "DJ? Are you okay?" Suddenly, he broke through the roof as well. "AAAAAAAHH!!" THUD! "OWW! I landed on my keys!"

"Ow-how-how-howch," I winced. "That had to hurt."

"You think?" Katie asked in an annoyed tone. Sadie elbowed her to keep her quiet.

DJ and Owen, in obvious pain, somehow managed to step out of the lodge. Heather and Lindsay awaited them. "You guys are so busted."

"Hey, I got an idea!" Lindsay shouted happily. "Since there are two of them, why don't I bust one of them so we both get invincibility?"

"Hey, I've got an idea!" Heather replied. "Find your own!"

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Some 'friend.'"

Noah scoffed. "Please. With friends like Heather, who needs archenemies?"

Chef, with Izzy and Bridgette in tow, began to search the woods. Not expecting anyone to be hiding underneath him, Chef stepped on a small hill...

"OW!" Gwen stood up, holding her leg in pain. She felt someone poke her on the shoulder, and turned to find Chef. By the look on his face, I could tell that Chef was pretty happy with this particular catch.

Just then, Heather and Lindsay had appeared with DJ and Owen. Heather took credit for both of them, and won invincibility in the process. She walked up to Gwen, who was still sorta wearing the "blanket" over her head. "Gwen... looking fetch as always."

"She's just asking for it, now," Tyler commented.

"Totally," Bridgette agreed, folding her arms. "I mean, I try not to hate anyone, but... it's really hard not to hate Heather."

"Hear, hear."

Later on, Owen, DJ, Gwen, Bridgette, Lindsay, and Izzy watched as Chef kicked a tree, sending the party boy down to the tree and landing hard on the ground. After making sure Geoff was alive, Chef peered over him. "You're done, son."

Geoff groaned, trying to get back up on his feet. Bridgette tried to help him up.

"...PHOO!! What the heck's that smell?" Geoff asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

Bridgette let him fall back down.

-X-

As Chef continued his search, Gwen broke away from the group. She was attempting to find Duncan on her own. Owen went off with her, but I assumed he was really going to be there to distract her from finding the punk.

After a few minutes, she gave up. "I wonder where Duncan is hiding."

"How should I know?" Owen asked, panicking. "It's not like the guys are forming a guys-only alliance or anything.

Shocked, Gwen turned to Owen, who continued to panic. Biting his lower lip, he blurted out more need-to-know-basis information. "Okay, they are forming one, but I'm not a part of it."

She raised an eyebrow.

"...Okay, you broke me! There is an alliance and I joined it and I'm not supposed to tell you but I did!" He fell to his knees. "There. You happy?"

"...Wow." She pat him on the head, smirking. "I really had to drag that out of you."

"Alright, already!" This got the attention of the two, and they turned to find that Chef had found Duncan. "You got me. Sheesh!"

"I guess that's everyone then," Geoff said.

"What about Leshawna?" Owen brought up.

Chef's eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about her. "Leshawna? But I searched everywhere!" Suddenly, it dawned on him. "...The water..."

Without a second to spare, Chef ran toward the docks, everyone but Owen, Gwen, Heather, and Duncan in tow. Chef cocked his squirt gun again, ready to blast Leshawna out of the water... literally.

But this would not happen. Leshawna was already in the lifeguard chair when he reached it. "What took you so long, Sugar?"

Smirking, Chef nodded in approval as the others surrounded Leshawna, (figuratively) drowning her with cheers.

"Alright, campers," Chris said as he finally appeared to ruin their fun. "Game's over. Time to pick the loser and send them home."

-X-

"So-ho-ho-ho, Gwen, uh..." Owen looked over at the punk nervously. Luckily for him, Duncan wasn't paying attention. He was still ticked about being caught by Chef. "You're not gonna tell anyone of me, uh... blurting out about the... um..."

"Relax," Gwen said, smiling at the big lug. "I won't tell the other guys about that." Nice play on words, Gwen. And it worked too.

"Oh, um, thank you."

"No problem, big guy."

"Sooooooo... we don't talk all that much..."

"...No, I guess we don't."

"...So... um... did Cody ever give you back your--"

"Owen," she interrupted. "Don't even start. That was YOUR idea to begin with."

"Wait, he told you it was my idea? That's cheating!"

"After the fact, doofus." She folded her arms. "And if you must know, he was going to, but I told him to keep it."

Owen chuckled, eyes half-closed. "Now, why would you do that, hmm? I thought you were Trent's main squee--"

"You know, you're very annoying, you know that?"

"Sorry."

"Yo, dudes!" Chris came over to the group that stayed behind. "Game's over. Shawny won. Head back to the cabins."

"She WON?!" Heather growled. "Crap!"

"Don't let it get to you, sweetheart," Duncan scoffed. "No one's complaining about your invincibility."

"I am... on the inside," Gwen told him, and he smirked.

As the group headed back, Gwen poked the queen bee on the shoulder.

"Don't touch me, Weird Goth Girl."

"The guys are forming an alliance," she whispered, and Heather stopped.

"Whoa, wait, what?!"

"Owen just told me," Gwen whispered, making sure that Owen and Duncan weren't paying attention. "I don't know who they're targeting, but we girls have to come up with something, or one of us is history."

"Why should I care? I have invincibility."

"Your lackey doesn't."

Heather rolled her eyes.

"Listen, whether you like it or not, sooner or later your luck is going to run out. If you don't want to take my advice, that's fine with me. I don't like you. But you of all people should know the importance of an alliance. Lindsay is your last lifeline."

"...Fine." Obviously, Heather wasn't looking forward to working with her rival.

And I could tell Gwen wasn't quite looking forward to it either.

-X-

Later on, at the girls' cabin, the girls huddled around one of the bunks. Leshawna, Heather, and Lindsay were sitting on the lower bunk, Gwen was standing next to it, arms folded, and Izzy was lying on the top bunk.

"Can you hear us okay out there, Bridgette?" Leshawna called out.

"Yep," Bridgette called from outside.

"Sorry we had to keep you outside, girl. We just can't stand that smell."

"That's okay. I understand."

"The guys are teaming up against us," Heather told the group, "and as much as it makes me want to yak up my lunch," ew, yuck, "we have to vote as a group if we want any chance of winning."

"Well," Bridgette called from outside, "I say we take out Duncan. He's mean, and I'd tell him that to his face."

"Sounds good to me," Leshawna agreed. "I don't trust that little criminal."

Gwen nodded, sealing her agreement.

"Speaking of trust," Heather stated, "I don't trust that Owen. He's always happy and smiling. It's creepy and unnatural. I say we lose him." That made me wonder what she thinks of me... which made me wonder why I cared. "Lindsay?"

Lindsay wasn't paying too much attention--she was too busy applying nail polish. But when she heard her name called, she spoke up. "Owen. Yeah."

"But Owen is, like, the nicest guy on the island," argued Izzy, "and he plays a mean game of Canasta. Have you guys ever played that? It's so fun!"

"This is an elimination game, not a dance!" Heather scolded. "We have to vote someone off in order to stay in the game. Hey! Why don't you vote with us, Izzy? We'll be like BFFS!"

Izzy looked confused, so Lindsay explained it. "Best female friends."

"You know she'll just dumb you after the vote," Leshawna pointed out.

"It's true," Lindsay agreed, still not really paying attention to what was going on. "She will."

Taking offense, Heather elbowed the blonde, and her nail polish bottle fell to the floor, the nail polish spilling out in a pool of red. Lindsay gasps in horror.

Nonchalantly, Heather turns back to the others. "So, you with us?"

Leshawna and Gwen both shake their heads. A stern "No!" was heard from outside.

"Fine," Heather scoffed. "Then let the chips fall where they may."

"Fine!" Leshawna scoffed back.

Oh, boy...

-X-

Meanwhile, the guys were revealing their vote on the dock. Obviously they were considering Bridgette.

"No, wait!" Geoff protested. "She could still be an asset to us!"

"Oh really?" Duncan argued. "You dig the way she smells right now?"

Geoff bit his lip, and turned to the girls' cabin, spotting Bridgette on the cabin steps. She waved to him, which only made him feel more guilty. He waved back, forcing a smile on his face, before turning back to the group, suggesting that they should vote off Heather. Duncan quickly reminded him that Heather had immunity, and that if they didn't get rid of the sweet and athletic Bridgette now, they probably wouldn't get a chance to again. Reluctantly, Geoff agreed.

-X-

"There are only two marshmallows left on this plate. You each racked up a lot of votes. One of you is going home tonight and cannot return... EVER." Predictable, much, Chris? "The next marshmallow goes to... Owen."

Owen caught the marshmallow in his mouth, and cheered.

"The final marshmallow of the night goes to..."

Come on, we all know who it's going to be, just--

"Duncan."

Thank you.

Everyone onscreen gasped. Even the guys were shocked when they saw that their plan actually worked.

"Okay! That was a shocker. Even I'm shocked, and I knew the answer."

So Bridgette ended up walking the Dock of Shame. Before she reached the boat, however, Geoff came forward. "Bridgette. I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too," Bridgette called back. "So you didn't vote me off?"

"No way!"

"You didn't?" Duncan called from the back.

Flinching and grinning sheepishly, Geoff continued. "I could never vote you off, babe! You're my girl!"

"Aww... I believe you!" They walked up to each other, and were about to kiss... when Geoff took in the smell of skunk spray. Freaked out, he ran off, taking refuge behind the rocks near the bonfire ceremony. "Uh... okay, byeee..." he said, waving. Frowning, Bridgette got on the boat.

"That's a shame," Noah said. "Damned skunks."

"Yeah, well, at least it wasn't like... oh, nevermind..." I assumed Bridgette was going to mention Trent.

The video soon ended, and we were about to go our separate ways. When Sadie got up, it looked like she was about to tell me something, but Katie jabbed her in the arm and made her leave the room without saying a word to me.

Damn, Katie was taking the whole thing harder than Sadie was.

As Bridgette was getting up, I called for her. She walked over. "What's up, Cody?"

I bit my lower lip. I wasn't sure if what I was doing was a good idea, especially since she was a good friend of Gwen's, but...

"I think you should lay off Zeke just a little bit. He's not as bad as you think."

"I'm sorry?" She didn't look too thrilled.

"He's just a confused guy," I explained. "Trust me, when you get to know him, he can be a good friend to talk to."

"...Really?"

"Mm-hmm," I nodded. "I'm not saying you have to like him. Just don't yell at him or give him evil glares, okay?"

"...Alright," she said, nodding. "You sure he's not a bad guy?"

"Positive."

"Okay. I'll try." She leaned in to hug me. "Getting better?"

"Yeah. One step at a time, you know?"

"Yep. I think you should've gone through the reboning process though. Look at Trent, he's walking around already."

"I'd rather not," I said, smiling. "Thank you, though."

"Well yeah, it's a little late now," she giggled, waving as she walked away.

"Yeah, too bad she's taken, huh?"

I turned to Noah. "Did you say something?"

"No."

Ah, good. I figured it was that guy again. Get out of my head, dammit.

-X-

"Hey, Noah?"

"Yeah, Cody?"

"Uh... remember when we were joking around about how Heather will probably make it until the end of the game?"

"Yeah."

"...I don't think we should've joked about that."

"Yeah, I'm surprised she's still on. I didn't think you'd be complaining about this, though."

"Tyler sure ain't."

"Hell no."

Tyler broke away from his kissing and turned to us. "Looks like someone else is going to have to get excited about the videos. I don't need 'em anymore." Smirking, he went back in for the kill, barely giving the newly arrived blonde a chance to breathe.

"Mmm... miss mis mun mam maww, buww... whews Tywew?" **[2]**

Tyler let up on his kissing. "Babe, you sound so hot when you baby talk."

Chuckling, I spoke up. "I don't think she was--"

Noah shushed me, smirking. "Let him be stupid. It's funny."

**-X-**

**[1] That's right, you read it. She THREW IT ON THE GROUND! (My dad ain't no cell phone. DUUUUUH!)**

**[2] "Mmm... this is fun and all, but... where's Tyler?"**


	43. Training Wheels

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Two: Training Wheels**_

"Can you stand up, Cody?"

...Nyegh... Hold on... Nyeeeeeegh! Ung! Ah! Pant, pant, pant...

"Good job, Codemeister!"

"Alright, can you walk?"

"Hehehe, Looks like Noah's kinda enjoying holding Cody like that."

"You know--" OOF!! OWW!! "--When Izzy left, I thought that'd be the end of that!"

Ow... "Dude, you just dropped Cody."

"Oh, crap!" Unf, nyegh, ack! Ugh! Pant, pant, pant... "Sorry about that. Alright, let's try to walk again. That's it. Good! You're doing better than yesterday, even. You're getting there, Cody."

I sat back in the wheelchair. Whoo, this was going to be a rough week. But thankfully the doctors said I should be one hundred percent by the end of it.

Let's just hope I live through it.

-X-

"Soooooooooo, um... Corey?"

I looked up from my food. That's right, food. I could eat now, and I was damn excited about it. "What's up, Linds?"

"...Who's Linds?"

"...Lindsay...."

"Oh, um... have you seen Tyler?"

"Wasn't he with you?" I smirked and winked at the lovely blonde. "All night?"

"No, I think you're thinking of Taylor."

"...Right, how could I have mistaken those two?" I said, rolling my eyes, still smirking at the ever-so-clueless Lindsay.

"Thanks anyway, Corey. Feel better soon, okay?" She waved and walked away.

Heh heh heh... Poor Lindsay. Or, should I say, poor Tyler. I took a bite of my meal--hell, I didn't even care what I was eating at this point; I was savoring the flavor of everything I was tasting. And soon I was going to be able to walk and _really_ check out this place. Maybe I could bunk with Harold and wherever he's hiding when all is said and done.

As I finished my meal, I called for Noah to wheel me outside. The still somewhat limited use of my arms wasn't enough to control my wheelchair for lengthy amounts of time--if I wanted to go to the hot tub area, I'd be in exhausting pain by the time I'd get there.

Tyler had set up a small welcoming party for Lindsay. It wasn't much; everyone just hung around the pool and mingled. There was even a decent sized cake that everyone picked at, and Bridgette was shocked when she found out who helped bake it.

"Hehehe, really? I thought that was a woman's job?"

Now, I knew that was a little joke on Bridgette's part, especially since she was the kind of person that always had an honest face. If she looked happy, she was happy. If she looked pissed, she was pissed. And right now, she was giggling and smiling when she said this. But unfortunately, Ezekiel didn't quite pick up what I picked up. "S-s-soorry, eh..."

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like--Ezekiel?"

The homeschooled teen was already back inside the building.

"...Oh, crap..."

"Don't worry about it, Bridgette," Noah told her. "He's just going to go into his room and check out those hip-hop CDs he seems to be interested in lately."

"...He likes hip-hop?"

"Now he does. He wasn't introduced to it before."

"Well, I can imagine..."

My short attention span kicked in, and I looked around at the others. Sadie, Katie, and Beth were in the pool, admiring Justin--yeah, just keep milking it for what it's worth, hot shot--Tyler and Lindsay were making out on the side of the pool, and Trent and Eva had managed to get Courtney's mind off of hunting Harold down by discussing what they felt about the charismatic Christopher. Needless to say, not a positive word was said.

"So, Cody," Bridgette nudged me, smiling. "Trent tells me you and Sadie are... you know..."

I sighed. Did I forget to tell Trent? "Not anymore. We broke it off."

She gasped. "Oh no! What happened?"

"Well, half of your question can be answered by looking over there," Noah said, and I assumed he was gesturing toward the pool.

"Basically," I decided to speak up, considering the fact that I felt that Noah's cynicism would twist the words in a way that would make the break up seem like Armageddon, "Sadie realized that it wouldn't work because... she's crushing on Justin, and I... well... I'm crushing on..." I didn't finish. And luckily, I didn't have to.

"Oh, yeah." Bridgette nodded in understanding. "Gwen told me you had a little thing for her."

"Little?" Noah scoffed, and I made a weird face.

"...Okay, a not-so-little thing." She looked very sympathetic. "Sorry, Cody. I really hope you find _the one _someday." I frowned.

"I did," I sighed, downcast. "I just wasn't ready for her when it happened."

-X-

When Noah and I returned to the building, I suggested we look for Ezekiel. Now, considering that Ezekiel was, ninety percent of the time, either in his room, the kitchen, or the library/study, it wasn't very hard to find the guy.

When we neared the bedrooms, we began to hear some faint thuds of a repeated bass line. Yep, Zeke was in his room.

We ended up finding him in his room. "Hey, Zedmeister," I greeted. "What's up? You feeling alright."

The homeschooled teen turned down his stereo--well, not really _his_ stereo... the stereo the hotel gave him. "Oom, noot really, I guess..." He rubbed the back of his toque--not kidding. "Oom, do you think... oom... Bridgette will nootice me if I were moore like these guys?" He picked up a few CDs, and Noah went over to check them out.

"Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kanye West... John Cena?" I didn't even see it, but somehow I could tell the last one made him raise an eyebrow. "Well... unless you want to choke her, smoke weed around her, put her in the trunk of your car and drive over a bridge, or annoy the living hell out of her, I'd say... no."

"You missed one," I reminded him, chuckling.

"...Oh, and hit her over the head with a chair."

"Ooh... but... from the way these songs sound, they get all the ladies, eh."

"Alright, do whatever. I'm just warning you... Bridgette is probably not the type that goes for that sort of thing. And besides... she's taken."

"OOH NOO! WHAT HAPPENED?!"

"...Not abducted, Homeschool. She has a boyfriend."

"...Oh. Boot... wasn't that one girl taken when Cood--"

"Ah, I think he understands," I interrupted, and Noah turned to me, eyebrow raised. "No need to get into that. Let's just go."

"Alright, if you say so."

As soon as we left the room, I sighed with relief. "I did not like where that was going."

"What do you have to worry about? She wasn't technically taken at the time--she was merely smitten."

"She might as well have been taken."

"Cody, you were at the wrong place at the wrong time," he assured me. "Just think if Trent wasn't on the island in the first place. Maybe things would've been a little different."

"Maybe. I just..." I sighed again, a much different sigh this time. "I don't know... I guess I just... I mean, sometimes, I wish I could tell her how I feel, you know? But I'm afraid she'll laugh and not take it seriously. Or she'll take it too seriously and think I'm going to try and steal her from Trent. And... I'm also having some pretty conflicting thoughts right now, too. Like, I want her to win, you know? I want her to get to the end and win it all, but... at the same time I don't want her on that island anymore. She's suffered so much, and... every day..." I held back a sob, "every day I wish I was there to... to comfort her, you know? To help her. But there's... there's really no one left to do that."

"Leshawna."

"...Well, yeah, that's true. But... look at Trent and Bridgette. Back to back, they were ripped away from Gwen." I shook my head. "I know Bridgette wasn't Heather's fault, but... the fact that _she's_ still there with... with Gwen..."

"You know our little goth girl can take care of herself."

"Oh, don't I know it. But still... It's not that I don't think she can handle it physically, that's certainly not the problem. It's mentally that I'm worried about. And emotionally. Gwen's strong, but she's also fragile."

"Quite the oxymoron you just pulled."

"It's true, isn't it?"

Noah had to think for a moment, but he agreed. "Yeah, you've got a point. Still, you gotta believe that somehow karma's gonna work its way around. One of these days, Heather is going to reap what she sowed."

"And she's sowed some pretty deep crap." A smile started to form on my face. Heather, you better watch yourself from now on. I had a feeling things were going to get ugly for the queen bee when the time comes.

-X-

Tyler wasn't kidding when he said someone else would have to get exciting about the tapes.

"Yo, Tyler, the new tape came in," Trent told him.

"Pfft! Linds is here now," Tyler said matter-of-factly. "I don't need to watch it."

"Yeah, well, aren't you at least a little bit curious as to why she's here?" He waved the tape in front of Tyler's face, and I chuckled at the sight.

"...Alright. Let's do it."

-X-

Yet again, we were crowded in the usual area that we viewed the tapes. Trent was now the one manning the remote control, and he pushed play as soon as we were all settled.

The video started with the campers waking up. Not having been woken up by Chris's unconventional methods, they probably weren't even aware that it was challenge day.

It was easy to tell that, despite being only three days separated, poor Geoff was still taking Bridgette's elimination hard. He even locked himself in the confession can for a while.

The girls' cabin happened to be the major focus at the moment. Heather was sitting on her bunk, a baffled look on her face. "I still don't get it! How did they kick off Bridgette if Geoff didn't--"

"Oh, for Peter Oldring's sake!" Izzy hopped down from her bunk. "I did it! Ya happy?"

"...WHAT?!"

"Bridgette was sooooooooo smelly, and I was like, 'Ew, that was like the time I stayed in the woods while running from the RCMP and blah blah blah,' you heard the story already. I was pretty smelly too when that happened, and I would've voted _myself_ off for that if I was in the contest! Whoo, did I reek!"

"...You kicked off Bridgette?! Are you insa--wait, don't answer that." The queen bee got up and left the cabin, Lindsay in tow.

"...Wow, how did you get her to leave?" Gwen asked sarcastically.

"Weren't you paying attention?" Izzy inquired, and Gwen rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door. Izzy offered to answer it. "OH, hey guys! What's up?"

The boys' spokesperson spoke up. "To show that there are no hard feelings against you ladies, I would like to propose a little fun day." Duncan held up a Frisbee. "What do you say? Care to play?"

Owen peered into the cabin and groaned. "Aww... I was hoping to see someone in their pajamas..."

DJ gave him a weird look. "You worry me sometimes, dude."

"Meh, I'm game," Gwen said, leaving her bunk.

"Same here," Leshawna added with a smile.

"Ummm... are we playing like Super Ultra Mega Awesome Deadly Explosive Ultimate Frisbee?" Izzy asked.

"...No..." Duncan simply answered.

"Then no thanks. It's not fun otherwise." With that, she opened the window and jumped out of it.

"...Okay... I guess we have a game then."

-X-

As the majority of the campers played with the Frisbee, Lindsay and Heather were on the dock. Heather seemed to be resting--probably trying to get her frustration under control. Lindsay was swatting at flies with her flyswatter. At one point, her target had landed on Heather, and the queen bee got swatted.

"Hehehe, nice," Tyler chuckled.

Heather got possession of Lindsay's flyswatter and lightly slaps Lindsay's face with it repeatedly.

"...Not so nice."

Then she did something even _less_ nice: she told Lindsay to clip her toenails.

"UGH!" Tyler.

"NASTY!" Me.

"I've seen worse." Noah.

Meanwhile, the Frisbee players became aware of the still isolated Geoff crying loudly in the confession can.

Bridgette sighed in sorrow. "Oh, man... poor Geoff..."

Ezekiel tried to cheer her up. "Oom, oom, it's okay, oom, D... no, wait, G. Oom, he gon' be alright... uh... yo."

It didn't work. And even if it would have usually, Bridgette wasn't paying attention anyway. She was listening to Geoff's sorrowful song. "Oh... I wish I could be there for him right now."

"I here ya," Trent said. "But the best thing you can do right now is support him. Trust me."

"Okay."

Onscreen, Duncan stopped the game. "Um, we better go check on him." He and the boys walked away, despite Leshawna's protests.

"Check on him?" Gwen pondered. "Since when did he start having feelings?"

At that moment, Heather and Lindsay had appeared. "Since they started up their guys' alliance. Duncan's no fool," Heather pointed out. "He needs Geoff's vote to stay in the game."

"Hey," Lindsay spoke up, "maybe we should try forming a girl's alliance again!" Her suggestion resulted in another swat from the flyswatter. "Or... not..."

Meanwhile, Geoff had left the can, and nearly got shell-shocked by a classic Owen bearhug.

"Thattaboy. Hug it out."

"Look, man," Duncan told the cowboy, "voting Bridgette off was just a strategic move. If the guy alliance stays strong, we can win this. So are you in?"

"I don't know, man," Geoff admitted. "Going on without Bridge is like..." He smelled something in the air. "...Oh, is that bacon? OH, CRAP! Did I miss breakfast!" He ran off to the lodge.

Duncan smirked. "I think Geoff's in."

A screech went through the air. Chris must've missed his first wake-up call by about a half an hour.

"Morning, campers. Your next challenge awaits you at the Arts-and-Crafts Center."

"Ooh, Arts-and-Crafts Center. That sounds like fun," Gwen mumbled sarcastically.

"I knooow, riiiiight?" Lindsay agreed, not knowing Gwen was kidding. Gwen facepalmed.

-X-

"Welcome to the Arts-and-Crafts center," Chris said as the campers appeared in front of the shed.

"More like Arts-and-Crap center," Duncan quipped.

"Yeah, it used to be an outhouse, but now it's where Chef parks his road hog." He kicked the door open and revealed the motorcycle inside.

"Oh, wow," Trent was impressed. "That's one sweet ride Chef's got."

Chris got everyone's attention again. "Which brings us to your challenge: building your own wheels."

The challenge was explained in some detail. The campers have to build their own bicycles. Sounds simple enough, right? ...Bah, I'm only kidding.

Heather, however, didn't have to lift a finger--she got Lindsay to build her bike (whoever said Lindsay was a completely worthless idiot has obviously never built a bike before... and interestingly enough Heather hasn't). She also asked Lindsay to dismantle Chef's motorcycle so Heather could use the motor for her bike.

Courtney decided to comment on this. "I'm starting to think that there really are no rules in Chris's little world."

"Which is a good reason why you should just let it go," I added.

"Nice try, Cody. It just gives me more incentive to take that pompous producer down."

Onscreen, the boys started building their bikes. One in particular caught at least two sets of eyes: mine and Bridgette's.

"Aw... how sweet," the blond surfer cooed.

"Great artist, too," I added. Geoff had Bridgette's features down perfectly.

Elsewhere, Izzy had offered Leshawna a ride on her bike.

"That was a bad idea from the get-go," Noah said matter-of-factly.

Meanwhile, Lindsay was still building Heather's bike, while Heather kept the others at bay.

"Doesn't that strike anyone as a little suspicious?" Noah asked.

"Everyone's too busy trying to build their bike," I pointed out.

"Still... it seems pretty obvious that she's up to no good."

"That's because you're too smart for your own good."

"Very funny."

The guys talked about their first bike rides and injuries resulting, scaring the crap out of DJ.

"Well, at least he's prepared," Trent chuckled, pointing out the knight helm DJ put on.

Eventually, it was time for Chris to judge the bikes. He went up to Heather's (or should I say Lindsay's) first. "Excellent aerodynamics, Heather."

"It only weighs two ounces," Heather added, obviously (to us) full of BS.

"Like her brain!" I laughed. Nice one, Gwen!

Chris went over to her incredibly kickass bike (that's not bias either--look at the damn thing!). "Spooky, yet practical. Well done." He moved on to Duncan's bike and looked it over. Duncan's was pretty awesome looking, too, I admit. "Wicked Mad Max mobile, dude." After giving the punk his props, he continued down the line to Lindsay. Right away, he kinda gave it a weird look. I don't blame him--the horse head was a little creepy, if you ask me.

"Go ahead! Ring her bell!" You still have to smile at Lindsay's enthusiasm.

Chris rang the bell. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"The real bike has sound effects like this." Then she began imitating a horse. I assumed she forgot she was on television.

After Lindsay was finished, Chris walked over to DJ. Again, he wasn't very thrilled. But it wasn't the bike that turned him off. He eyed DJ's protective gear and groaned. "Dude, seriously, this is lame." He walked over to Geoff. "Please tell me you'll bring back the awesomeness." He looked at the bike and smiled. "Now _this_ is a hot rod! Ni-i-ice!"

Geoff, unfortunately, didn't share Chris's happiness. "I call her..." he sobbed, "...Bridgette."

"Aww..." Bridgette held a hand up as if she was reaching for Geoff through the TV. "I miss you too, babe."

Owen rode his bike up to Chris. A few of us chuckled at how silly it looked, but Chris was impressed. "Owen, nice job!" Then a thought occurred to him as he realized there were some missing ladies. "Hey, where's Izzy and Leshawna?"

Meanwhile, the two missing ladies were riding down an extremely steep hill. Leshawna didn't seem very thrilled, to say the least.

"Oh well, their loss--" wait, doesn't he even care that two campers are missing? "--'cause this is where it gets good. We're gonna race these babies _hard_!"

Oh, boy.

Chris then dropped a huge bombshell on them: they were going to switch bikes with someone else.

Trent laughed. "Looks like Heather's ace in the hole is gone."

"Well, since she's not here, I doubt it," Noah added.

The campers were taken to the beach, where the first race was going to be held. Chris revealed that the builder whose bike crosses the finish line gets to race in a second race for invincibility.

"...That makes NO sense, Chris!" Noah groaned. "Wouldn't that give them incentive to crash their bikes?"

I agreed. "Yeah, they could win the race and still not make it to round two. That's not fair."

"That's true, but there is some sense here if you think about it," Trent pointed out. "First of all, if your bike is trashed, you obviously can't compete anymore. Second, if you intentionally crash another person's bike and take their chances of invincibility away on purpose, they probably will have a grudge against you."

"Good point," I admitted.

"Now, before we start," Chris said onscreen, "has anyone seen Leshawna and Izzy?"

Meanwhile, they were literally riding on water, Leshawna screaming bloody murder.

Again, Chris didn't seem to care that two of his campers were missing. He told the remaining campers to line up. From the looks of things, Duncan had Lindsay's ride, DJ had Geoff's ride, Owen had Duncan's ride, Geoff had Gwen's ride, Gwen had Owen's ride, Heather had DJ's ride, and Lindsay had Heather's ride.

"Okay, racers, on your marks... get set... paramedics on standby... and DRAG!"

The racers took off, except for Owen, who couldn't find any pedals on his bike.

Heather had some bad luck starting out. She got stuck in the sand right away, and eventually she had to push it.

Since Geoff forgot to use bolts on his bike (it's a wonder how it stayed up this long), the "Bridgette" broke apart, and Geoff ended up crashing into DJ's wreck.

"Aw, man..." I groaned.

"Ah, crap," Trent added. "That was Gwen's bike, wasn't it?"

"...The bat wings help with your conclusion, Trent?" Noah mumbled.

Soon, the two boys were joined by Heather, who wasn't paying attention to wear she was pushing her bike.

Still at the starting line, the confused Owen decided to pull on the skull on the front of the bike. The ride suddenly got a mind of its own and sped off toward the finish line, passing the others in a hail of dust.

"...How did Duncan manage that?" I had to ask.

"He's a master criminal," Trent answered. "He probably stole an engine or something, like Linds--oh crap."

"What? What happened?" Trent sighed, thankful that Lindsay was as clueless as she was.

Owen crossed the finish line first, and continued to circle the island, not knowing how to stop the machine. Lindsay, Duncan, and Gwen cross as well.

"And yet Gwen can't ride in the last race," I sighed. "Still doesn't seem fair."

"Cody, no one else cares," Noah stated. "And besides, she's not here! So chill out."

As Owen made his round, Duncan told him to hit the skull on the front of the bike. Owen did so, and his momentum ended up causing him to fly... right into Chef.

"OUCH!"

"Maybe CHEF now needs to be reboned."

"Ha ha!"

-X-

As Leshawna and Izzy were still on their wild ride, and shockingly still alive, the four winners (well, three winners and one Heather) were lined up at a new starting line. Gwen, DJ, and Geoff were sitting on a small cliff nearby. DJ seemed to be the only one who looked excited at first, and he noticed it. "Hey guys, cheer up. At least you don't have to ride that course."

"That's not why I'm down, man," Geoff sighed.

"Same here," Gwen added.

DJ bit his lip. "Look, you two, it's not like they're gone forever. They're out there somewhere." He grinned as his words actually made some progress: he got the two to smile, if only a little. "And they're rooting for you. They want you to win more than you even want to, I bet."

"Yeah, you're right," Gwen gave in, playfully punching DJ in the arm. "I just miss him a little, I guess."

"I hear ya," Geoff nodded. "I miss Bridgette too. But Deej is right! They're out there cheerin' for us. Yeah. WOO!" He raised his arms in the air. "I love you, Bridgette!"

Bridgette giggled as she saw this. "I love you too, Geoffy."

The camera began to focus on the racers. Tyler noticed something, and decided to bring it up. "Hey, Lindsay? You and Owen seem pretty chummy."

"Oh yeah," Lindsay confirmed. "Owen is, like, so nice. He's a very good friend."

"Just friends?"

"Of course! You know I'm with Tyler."

"...Um...okay..."

Chris appeared onscreen and began to explain this final challenge, which was filled with dangerous deathtraps.

"Of course it wouldn't be easy," Noah groaned. "It's TDI."

Chris finished the explanation with the finishing situation: first place wins invincibility, last to cross gets voted off automatically.

...Wait... "Okay, this wasn't very well thought out," I pointed out, still confused by this stimulation. "Why would the winner need invincibility if the last one to cross gets voted out?"

We were all silent for a moment, but Noah eventually spoke up. "Oh, wait. I think I get it. But let's see what happens first."

The race started, and soon after Owen was blown off the track.

"Hmmm..." Noah pondered out loud.

At the oil slick, Duncan lost control and fell in the oil.

"NO! DUNCAN!" Courtney cried, her hand outstretched to the television.

"Just keep reaching, you'll hold his hand yet," Tyler said sarcastically.

"SHH!" Noah apparently needed it quiet to concentrate. Or at least that's what I thought, anyway. He could've just wanted the two to shut up.

Lindsay had wheelied and used a mop to make a trail for Heather to use.

"Wow, that's a pretty smart move," I praised.

"R-Really? Thanks, Corey."

"Cody."

"Oh, sorry..."

Lindsay tries to brake, skidding across the water, and reaching the end, waiting as Heather pushed a button on her bike, starting up her stolen engine. She jumped over the ecstatic Lindsay and crossed the finish line.

"I get it now."

I turned my attention to Noah, and he revealed his hypothesis. "Lindsay was the last to cross the finish line, for starters. Trent, pause the tape so I can explain everything." Once the screen froze, he continued. "Lindsay's here because she was the last to cross the finish line. Owen and Duncan wiped out, so they couldn't cross. Now, knowing Chris, he thought of everything. Cody, recall your question about invincibility for first place?"

"Yeah."

"That's not as illogical as you think if you think outside the box," he revealed. "Take the following scenarios: three wipeouts and four wipeouts. The first is a paradox: if one person crosses, they get invincibility _and_ get voted out? That, my friend, makes absolutely no sense. And what if no one crosses? Who gets the boot?" He paused for a moment; I'm assuming he wanted the thought to sink in. "The answer lies in the technicality. If only one person crosses, there's a paradox, like I said. So the only way to solve it, that I can think of, is to have a bonfire ceremony anyway. The one person that crosses would still get invincibility in this case. If no one crosses, on the other hand, again the result is a bonfire ceremony, but in this case, everyone is vulnerable because no one would have invincibility. Make sense?"

I thought about what he said, and seeing no fault in it, I nodded. "It does."

"Now, if you can think of any other explanation, then by all means, but this is the only one I can come up with," he admitted.

"Makes sense to me," Trent added as he pressed play.

Onscreen, Chris revealed that Lindsay is leaving. Heather tells Lindsay she can't save her like Lindsay previously hoped. Lindsay revealed to everyone that she built Heather's bike, but Heather denied it.

"She's not fooling anyone," Tyler pointed out.

"You tell her, Taylor!" Lindsay added.

Heather, onscreen, revealed that she was playing Lindsay the whole time.

"And it hits the fan," Noah commented.

This confused Lindsay. "What hit the fan?"

Onscreen, the blonde was putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"You mean... I've been helping you all this time and you didn't even _like_ me?"

"Uh, truth? Not really, no."

Everyone glared Heather down. Once again, Heather had gone too far.

"What? We're not here to make friends. We're here to become celebrities, remember?"

"Ooh, that's cold, bra." When Duncan finds an act despicable, it's gotta be.

Heather scoffed, not buying the fact that Duncan is such a great guy that he could judge the queen bee. Duncan retaliated by telling her that at least he was honest. It didn't matter to Heather, though. As long as she had invincibility, she didn't care.

"You really _are_ mean!" Lindsay shouted at her former friend. "And all that bad stuff people say about you is true! Like how you're a two-faced, backstabbing, lying little..."

HOLY CRAP!

Tyler burst out laughing. "You flicked her off! Nice!"

"Ooh, she sounds like thoose guys in my CDs, eh."

Somewhere in the walls, we heard a "Go Lins--ah, crap!"

"Harold?!" Courtney ran out of the room, suddenly reminded of her hunt.

"I always told them they were wrong," Lindsay continued onscreen. The look on Heather's face was priceless! "I stood up for you because I thought we were BFFs! But they were right! You really _are_ a two-faced, backstabbing, lying little..."

"And here we go again," Noah said with a smirk.

"Tsk, tsk," Tyler said, though still grinning. "Such language from such a pretty little mouth."

"And guess what!" Lindsay still wasn't done! This was awesome! "I don't wanna be BFFs anymore! I'd rather spend the day staring at Owen's butt than shopping with you! And P.S., your shoes are tacky!"

There was not a single person in the room that didn't cheer. Even Lindsay cheered at her own outburst.

And as if wrapping up all loose ends, Leshawna and Izzy were finally back with the group, after their bike landed in the nearby waters.

-X-

Though they had their fun for that little moment, it was still a sad thing to see Lindsay leave the game, when I'm sure many--no--all of them would've voted Heather off first.

"Thanks for all your support, Greta. I love you Laqueesha!"

Leshawna hugged the ditzy blonde. "Take care, girlfriend. If it makes you feel better, we would've kept you on."

"Really? Thanks." She walked down the dock. "Kick Heather's butt for me."

"My pleasure."

Lindsay waved at the boys. "Bye, guys. See you at the finale." She walked up to Owen, who looked very upset with her leaving. "Aw... I think I'm gonna miss you the most." She gave the big lug a hug, and, not being able to hold it in any longer, Owen put her in a deadly bearhug, crying violently. "Me too-oo-oo! Byyyyyye!"

She was shaken when she was put back on her feet. She got her bearings and continued her walk. "Good luck, Heather." Then she added (most likely inadvertently) cryptically, "I hope you get everything your karma owes you." She closed her eyes. "Okay... I'm ready." Chris helped her onto the boat, and they were off into the sunset, with all but Heather waving them off.

With that, Trent stopped the tape. "That's a shame. I totally could've owned that bike challenge."

"Yeah, well Ezekiel probably could've owned that cooking challenge, but he wasn't there at the time either," Noah pointed out.

"Oom, yo dawg, uh... Why you gotta be like dat, eh?"

"...Nevermind."

-X-

"Come on, Cody. That's it." Nyeeeg. "You're getting better, that's great!"

"Hey, guys! ...Uh...am I interrupting something?"

"...Hey, DJ."

Whoa, DJ? I turned to the jock. Sure enough. "Hey, man. How are ya? Noah here is just teaching me how to dance--"

"Dammit, Cody!" I chuckled as he groaned in frustration. "I don't have to help you get better, you know!"

"I was just kidding, dude. Lighten up." I turned back to DJ. "Physical therapy, dude. That's all."

"Ah, I getcha. I take it you didn't want to be reboned?"

"Nope."

"I don't blame you. Trent said it was horrible when he went through it." He looked around. "So, nice place, huh? Looks like--"

"The five-star resort on the application form?" I inquired.

DJ laughed. "That evil son of a gun." As he walked away, I gave Noah a devious look.

"So... can I lead this time?"

OOF!

**-X-**

**Total Drama is owned by Fresh TV and Cake Entertainment. I am not profiting off of this fanfiction.**


	44. The Hatchet Horror Picture Show

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Three: The Hatchet Horror Picture Show**_

"Y-y-yo, y-yo-yo, hoome boy, uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah, foo' shizzle, mah Canizzle brozizzles, eh."

"Yo, Zedmeister!" I wasn't even sure he knew he was singing out loud in front of everyone in the cafeteria, but... he was. It didn't seem like he heard me, so I called out again. "ZEDMEISTER!" He looked up this time, and I knew I got his attention. I pointed around the room to everyone else. "Dude, you're singing out loud. Everyone can hear you, man."

He turned down the volume on his headphones, which were attached to a portable CD player that Trent lent to him. "What was that, eh?"

"...You were singing out loud."

"...I was?" He blushed a deep red. "Uh... uh... oom... uh... ooh... oh, boy..." He waved at the others, who were still giving him weird looks. "Soorry."

"I'll give you some props though, man," DJ said. "You got some skills."

"...I do?"

"Yeah, you... don't sound any worse than most white rappers."

"Ooh, thanks." He beamed and turned the volume back up, the thuds of the bass line slightly audible from the blaring headphones.

"...Why did you lie?" Noah! ...Well, at least he waited until Zeke couldn't hear him.

"Well, I kinda felt bad for the guy, being all embarrassed like that," DJ admitted. "He's got soul, but he don't have a lot of rhythm."

"Hear, hear."

"So, what was your last challenge, dude?" I asked DJ, and he bit his lip.

"Uh... I think it's best that we keep that a surprise." He winked at us. "Keeping up the suspense, and stuff like that."

"You're starting to sound like Chris." Noah rolled his eyes. "And that's definitely not a good thing."

"Look, all I'm saying is that I think you guys should wait and see for yourselves. I mean, heck, even we didn't know what the challenge was at first."

"...You were left in the dark?" I questioned. "Not that Chris isn't notorious for not explaining the entire challenge until part of it is completed, but... you had no idea what the challenge was at all at first?"

"Hell, we didn't have it until late last night," he told us. "We thought we had a free day or something. Chris even let us watch a movie." He shuddered. "A pretty scary movie. I still can't believe people would watch that... that... torture porn!"

I was about to reply, but I felt someone poke my shoulder. I turned. "Sadie!"

"Hey, buddy!" Her big arms lightly held me close. "Sorry I haven't gotten to talk to you in a while. Katie's been pretty overprotective."

"I don't blame her. It just means she cares."

"Yeah, but I set her straight. I told her if she doesn't want me to talk to you then we don't have to be BFFFLs anymore!" She had a sort of grumpy look on her face, and I chuckled at the sight of it.

"Aw, that was a pretty big risk there, Sadie."

"I know. Right after I said that, I was like 'Oh crap!' But as it turns out, she was just as scared about us breaking apart as I was, so it worked out just fine." She giggled, causing me to blush. "But yeah, I don't think she'll give you any trouble anymore. And if she does, tell me, and I'll set her straight again. Cool?"

"Thanks, Sadie," I nuzzled her cheek, and she giggled again. "So... what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to say hello." She ruffled up my hair. "Talk to you later, 'kay Cody?"

"Yeah, sure." I held my smile as long as I could, and thankfully she was gone by the time my limit was reached. Letting out a deep sigh, I looked up at DJ, then at Noah. "You... you think I'll ever find the right girl?"

"Might I suggest online dating sites?"

"...Thanks, Noah," I mumbled sarcastically. "Thanks."

"Y-yo, B-Bridgette," we turned to the new commotion, "what is the... uh... happenings... with... oom... my Canizzle, eh?"

"...Excuse me?"

"Uh... oom... Woord to your... uh... fo' shizzle?"

_"...Excuse me?!"_

"Bail, Zeke! Bail!" I shouted, but it was too late. Slap. "Ouch!" I cringed. Tough break, dude. Tough break.

-X-

Things were finally getting pretty peaceful here at the Playa des Losers--aside from Harold still hiding in the crawlspaces, of course. DJ definitely helped lift the spirits of many at the resort, even the likes of Noah and Eva, two people that are very hard to please (something I know from experience). One big question, though, was why DJ was kicked off. Everyone loved him! Perhaps they found this fact as a threat? I don't know...

What I do know, though, is that on the third day after DJ's arrival, I had a big surprise for everyone... even me.

-X-

Unf... I don't wanna get up today...

...

Well, I have to get up sometime.

"Noah?" No one came. "DJ?" Still no one. Impatient and wanting to get out of here as soon as I could, I inched my way from my bed to my wheelchair...

And fell.

Ouch...

Slowly, I used the wheel of the chair to pull me up to my feet. "Ugh... That hurt..." I was about to sit down in the chair before I realized something. "Wait a minute." I looked down. "How am I...?

"Ho-ly CRAP!"

I took a few steps. No freakin' way!

At that moment, Noah walked in, followed by DJ. "Hey, you were call--Oh my!"

"Dude, you're walking, man!" DJ congratulated.

"I know!" I shouted ecstatically. "I can walk! I can walk!"

-X-

Of course, the doctors had to do a few tests first. Apparently, I wasn't completely 100 percent yet, but they said that as long as I don't get any real major injuries, I should be good to go.

First thing I wanted to do (aside from walking and jumping, of course) was watch a movie with my buds in celebration. Noah, Tyler, Lindsay, DJ, Eva, Beth, Sadie, and even Katie showed up to watch two films that our "gracious" host Chris made "famous": _Goodminton_ and _Goodminton II: The Awakening_. They actually weren't as bad as the box covers--both having very little to do with Badminton and zombies and more to do with Chris's smiling face--made you think. But Chris still wasn't the greatest actor in the world by far.

Lindsay, however, thoroughly enjoyed both movies. "Chip was so amazing! I wouldn't mind seeing these again."

Of course, knowing her, after about an hour she forgot the movies even existed.

-X-

"Congrats again, dude," Trent said as we ate our dinner.

"Thanks," I beamed. I gestured toward various places around my body. "I've healed up pretty nicely, huh? You can hardly tell I was mauled by a bear!"

"I know! You don't even have scratches on your face anymore, man."

I looked down my shirt, and nodded. "Only a few scratches left on my torso, but they're hardly noticeable." I grinned a gap-toothy grin. "I'm so stoked about this, man. You have no idea how awesome walking is when you haven't done it for a long time."

"I can only imagine," Trent said, nodding.

Before I could say any more, a whistle pierced through the room. "Yo, yo, yo! Chris-man in the house, dizzammit."

"Aw... How coome he's soo good at it, eh?"

Chris held up a tape. "Here's tonight's tape, and--Cody!" His eyes had fallen on me. "Awesome, dude! You're walking again!"

I stood up and strutted around a little bit before sitting back down, showing off my new ability to walk.

"That rocks so hard, man! I'm gonna have to tell the others you're back on your feet." He stopped for a moment, tapping his chin. "Oh wait, I guess I can't do that... I might give this location away. And then they'll actually be smart enough to _want_ to be voted off."

"You could tell them I sent you a video," I suggested.

"...Cody, you little genius, you!" His smile could move mountains, I swear. "Alright, so anyway, here's the tape from the last challenge. Who wants it?"

"I'll take it." Trent stood up and walked over to Chris, who handed the musician the tape, no strings attached.

"Alright, I'll leave you dudes alone. Expect the next loser in about two hours. Ciao!" With that, he took his leave.

And DJ decided to take his, too.

"Hey, where are you going?" I asked. I thought he'd want to see his tape.

"I don't need to see it," he said. "Horror movies ain't my thing."

"...But you sat through _Goodminton II_," I pointed out.

"Dude," he laughed, "if you were paying attention to me, you'd know that I had my eyes closed for half the movie." With that, he left the room.

Hmm... so this challenge had to do with horror movies, eh?

I can't wait to see this.

-X-

After two B-movies-at-best today, I wasn't exactly thrilled to see yet another one. But then again, I guess when you haven't seen _any_ movies in a while, you'll probably want to watch anything. So perhaps watching the entire showing of _Psycho Killer with a Chainsaw and a Hook _will have to be taken with a grain of salt. It was good to see that most of the campers on the island were still enjoying their movie experience, something, as I've said already, they haven't been able to do for... about a month now.

By the time the movie was over, I--ooh, by the way, I'm sitting on one of the couches now! Sweet! And damn, if it ain't comfy--could sense some annoyance coming from the groans of my brainiac buddy. "What's wrong, Noah?"

"Why do teenagers just have to comment on everything they see on the screen?" he asked, referring to the campers, who had to describe every detail that was happening in the movie.

"We do it, too," I pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Exactly!"

As DJ freaked out onscreen, which we chuckled at, despite the fact that he wasn't here to defend himself, Gwen exclaimed, "Here comes the bloodfest!" Soon after, the projector began to flash red several times, and Owen's gasps of shock completed the puzzle of what had just happened in the movie.

Soon, the movie was over, and DJ had finally come out of hiding, thankful the movie was over. Unfortunately for him, Duncan had to give him a hard time.

"I can see why he didn't want to watch," Trent said.

"I can't," Lindsay admitted between spit-swappings with "Taylor."

"Aw, come on, Deej." Onscreen, Gwen was putting away the reel. "For a slasher flick, it was pretty tame."

"Yeah, there was hardly any hacking," Duncan agreed. "Not like _Bloodbath II: Summer Camp Reign of Terror_!"

Oh, now _that's _a scary movie!

And Gwen and Duncan let DJ know how scary that movie was.

Hell, I almost wet my pants just thinking about the scenes they described. Especially the wood chipper part...

...Maybe Gwen and I aren't made for each other after all. Heh, heh. Kidding, kidding.

"How barbaric!" Courtney suddenly scoffed. "Trent, how can you like someone that just scares people on purpose like that?"

I cleared my throat loudly, reminding her that he wasn't the only one. She ignored me.

"I don't know, Court," Trent replied. "How _can_ you like someone like that?"

"...What are you implying?" Courtney inquired suspiciously, but Trent didn't bother to say another word.

"Just keep denying it, Courtney," Noah said. "Like a real politician."

Courtney rose her nose into the air snobbishly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Whatever."

By this time, the campers onscreen had gone to the dock, in search of their two quote-unquote "legal guardians," who seemed to be in a big hurry to get the hell out of there.

"Oh boy," Noah sighed. "I see where this is going. I've always figured Chris would be the type of guy that would leave everyone else behind to die."

"What?" I pondered exactly how he came to that conclusion.

"Well, I figure from Chris setting up the scary movie for them, then leaving them on the island in a panic... there's gotta be some reason behind it, right?"

"True, true," I admitted. Something was definitely amiss.

As it turned out, Chris left a bag for the campers, which had a newspaper article in it mentioning an escaped psycho killer. Interestingly enough, this psycho killer was pretty similar to the one in the film, and thus... Heather didn't buy it for a second. I had to admit, the witch was, for once, absolutely in the right--this was all way too convenient. But everyone else on the dock believed the possibility that, perhaps, this _was_ real, considering the fact that the narcissistic host had left behind one of his most prized possessions: a small jar of hair gel.

"Nice close-up shots, Chris," Noah said, rolling his eyes.

"Heather's right, though," Courtney said. "Chris is an actor, after all. And he'd definitely part with a single jar of hair gel just to spook the others out."

"Especially since he probably has a full stock of it," I added, and Courtney nodded in agreement.

See? Courtney's not so bad when she's, well, not being a jerk.

And sure enough, Chris revealed (to us) that this whole thing was just a challenge. It's a good thing I didn't think this was real from the get-go, or else I would've been ticked off about this particular spoiler.

Despite Gwen's proposing that they needed a game plan whether this was real or not, Heather left the group anyway to head for the washroom. Izzy and Owen also ended up leaving the group, thanks to Izzy herself.

"Idiots." There goes Noah and his cynicism again. "Gwen's actually trying to help them and they just wander off on their own like that despite the consequences?"

"Noo I know how God feels, eh."

"Watch it, Zeke."

It'd take at least ten minutes of walking in the woods before Owen would finally actually question where he and Izzy were going.

"To die, Owen," Noah said. "That's where you're going. You're going to die."

"Nuh-uh, Nate," Lindsay spoke up. "You heard Carlos. It's just a challenge."

"...Nate?"

Meanwhile, at the bonfire pit, the seemingly "sane" campers that actually decided to listen to Gwen were taking in her words of wisdom, which were some rules that she had picked up from years of watching horror films.

"Okay, rule number one: do not go off on your own," she pointed out. "Rule number two: if you do go off on your own, never go in the woods. Rule number three: if you do go in the woods, never, ever, _ever_ make out in the woods, or you will _**die**_ in the woods!" As if on cue, she realized something about her group. "...Where's Izzy and Owen?"

Duncan smirked. "Breaking rules one through three."

"Ugh!" She knelt down and slammed her head down on a stump. Ouch. "This is bad. This is really bad."

"Hey, cheer up." Duncan stood up from his stump. "You need to relax. Say, you draw a lot, right?"

"Yeah," Gwen mumbled through the stump.

"Tell you what--I'll be right back. I'll find you something to draw on, 'kay?"

"Duncan, don't leave the group."

"Chill, Gwen! If that psycho dude's real, he's probably going after Izzy and Owen right now anyway. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Oh, that helps, Dunc... That helps..."

"You're welcome." With that, he ran off.

"...Duncan left, didn't he?"

"Yep, he did, shug," Leshawna confirmed.

"Ugh..."

"Girl, don't trip. You know Duncan. He's tough."

"...Yeah..."

-X-

As Duncan retrieved some art supplies from the campgrounds for Gwen, Izzy and Owen continued to walk through the woods. Well, scratch that. Owen was walking; Izzy was on his back.

At one point, Owen remembered exactly what the problem was with them being alone in the woods, and this somehow led to them making out.

And then, as if on cue... the killer appeared.

...

"Oh, come on!" Noah heckled. "That's obviously Chef!"

"Yeah, seriously! How can they not tell?" Courtney asked, baffled.

Still, it worked, and the crazy couple decided to make a run for it. Unfortunately, Owen runs a little too far and ends up falling off a cliff, hitting everything but the kitchen sink on the way down. Izzy followed his footsteps, so to speak, but despite their efforts the psycho killer had appeared in front of them.

"Oh, crap. They're screwed," Trent commented.

"...Whoa! Owen, man!" I shouted after seeing what Owen did next. "Way to knock off a few points on the relationship meter."

"So you wouldn't shove me in front of a pyscho killer, Cody?" Sadie giggled, and I blushed.

"N-no, of course not. That'd be awful." I literally winced at the thought of me actually doing that, especially to someone as sweet as Sadie.

Owen ended up running into Chris's production tent somehow. After nearly having a heart attack from Chef entering the tent with Izzy, Chris finally reveals the killer's identity.

"Seriously, how could you not figure it out?" I had to ask. "Chef looks like a crappy recoloring job done by some twelve year old on DeviantART."

After Chris explained the challenge to the two, Owen (eventually) realized how deep a ditch he dug for himself.

"He's screwed," Noah mumbled.

I chuckled. "Screwed nothing--he's _dead_."

Back at the bonfire pit, Duncan had gotten Gwen a tripod and some pencils, where she began to sketch the campers from memory. And damn, she must've had a photographic memory or something, because they perfect down to the last detail.

"Doesn't anyone use names or stick figures anymore?" Courtney asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"You're just jealous of her artistic ability," I told her, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

As soon as she finished sketching, she turned to realize that DJ and Geoff were gone.

"Well, if you hadn't spent all that time with the details of everyone's hair, Gwen, maybe you would have noticed," Courtney criticized.

"Shut up, Court," Tyler mumbled under his breath. The CIT didn't say another word.

Meanwhile, onscreen, DJ had entered the washrooms, Geoff keeping watch. Definitely not a good idea, especially when Geoff was lured away by the sound of an ice cream truck. ...Apparently no one decided to tell him that it was highly unlikely that ice cream trucks would be anywhere near a deserted campground in Muskoka, Ontario.

And so, DJ was stuck with whatever fate fell before him. And who would've thought it'd be a fate so horrific?

"Heather in a towel and facial mask... shaving her legs." I shuddered. "Now if it was just the towel, maybe I'd be interested, but..."

Trent laughed. "Then it wouldn't be scary, would it?"

"Deej, you poor, tortured soul." I shook my head, chuckling.

-X-

DJ had managed to scream his way all the way to Chris's production tent, thanks to Heather's rather disturbing appearance. Thankfully, Izzy was there to slap some sense into him.

"Dude, you're safe!" Chris shouted.

"I am? Phew!" Surprisingly, DJ did not question the fact that Chris was standing in front of him, when he should have been off the island. Come to think of it, Owen didn't question it either when he ran into the tent.

Chris told DJ about the challenge, and after DJ commented on the horrors of Heather's facial mask, Chef was sent back out to "kill" the campers.

Back at the washrooms, Gwen ran through the hole DJ had made in the door. "Are you okay? I heard screaming!"

Heather didn't share Gwen's horrified expression one iota. "I'm fine! But you might want to check on DJ. He ran out of here like he saw a ghost. Can I have my shower in peace?"

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I--" Gwen was met with an intense glare from the queen bee, and quickly changed her mind. "Fine. Suit yourself. By the way, that's a great look on you," she finished with a smirk before leaving Heather by herself.

"Heather, have you learned nothing from Norman Bates?" Noah inquired.

Apparently, she hadn't.

But Heather decided to shower anyway, and she ended up paying for it.

"And that, my friends, is a classic horror movie kill," Tyler pointed out with a chuckle.

"I bet she wishes Lindsay were there right now," I added, folding my arms.

Back at the bonfire pit, Gwen returned to find Leshawna missing.

"You're kidding..." Noah flung his head backwards, hitting the sofa hard, though the couch was too comfortable and (I assumed) he didn't really hurt himself at all. "Come on, Shawny, you know better than that."

Apparently, she didn't, because she was in the lodge. Yep, the lodge. Chef's playground. She entered the kitchen. Again, Chef's playground. She was screwed. Big time.

But even though we all knew she was screwed from the get-go, she shocked us all when she ended up going down with a tray of brownies for all of the "dead" campers. Nice job, Shawny. Nice job.

Geoff was soon taken out of the game as well, which didn't surprise any of us--even Bridgette--and our attention was soon brought on the two horror movie fanatics who had managed to survive the night so far. Still at the bonfire pit, like everyone else should have been, Gwen and Duncan were shooting the breeze, though Gwen's frustration was apparent. "You know what really ticks me off?" she asked the punk. "I was trying to help them."

"Live and learn, sweetheart," Duncan simply retorted, lighting a stick on fire with another burning stick.

"You really are a pyro, aren't you?" Gwen asked, apparently trying to find some way to get her mind off her frustration.

"So? I like burning stuff."

"Is that what you went to Juvie for?"

"Ha!" Duncan scoffed. "Like I'd tell you why I went to Juvie." He outstretched his hand toward her, still holding a flaming stick in it. The stick bumped the paper on the tripod, setting it on fire.

"Oh, man!" Gwen shot up in a panic. "I'll get water!"

Duncan smiled as she ran off. "And then there was one..."

-X-

When Gwen finally came back with a bucket of water, she soon found out that she was on her own. The punk had left. "Duncan?" she called out. "Duncan! Ugh!" If it wasn't obvious she was pissed, please punch yourself in the face. Hard. "Okay, you know what? I'm getting a sandwich!" She threw the bucket on the ground **[1] **and stormed off.

**-X-**

**[1] ...Do I have to make this reference again? ...Ugh, alright. Dad, cell phone, DUUUH, blah blah blah...**

**-X-**

**Well, I cut the chapter short of the episode ending. Though this might not be the best place to cut, I felt the chapter was long enough, and why not keep the most suspenseful parts of the episode out of this chapter to keep the suspense? Even if you know already know the outcome. XD**

**Also, the chapter title is a spoof on the Rocky Horror Picture Show. For those of you that already knew that and were hoping to see transvestite monsters, sorry. There aren't any. XD But hey, at least you got Chef, who does dress up in drag from time to time on the show. Ironically, he won't be this time.**

**Oh, and though I'm about an hour late, Merry Christmas! ...Ah well, at least you got my oneshot on time.**


	45. Psychopaths Galore

_Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister_

_**Chapter Forty-Four: Psychopaths Galore**_

If you've ever played a videogame and gone to the very end, to the final boss, with only one life left, you know how vital that last life is. What do you do? Do you go straight into battle looking to win, and whatever happens happens? Or do you just hopelessly kill yourself off on purpose, feeling that there's absolutely no way you can win the game if you don't have any lifelines left. Well, in real life... there aren't any lifelines. You don't have extra lives, unless you're someone like me whom God seems to have a little more mercy in his pocket for. I mean, bear maulings? How many people survive those? But most of the time in real life you only get that one life, that one shot, and if you lose, it's game over.

Duncan knew that, and he decided to go into battle anyway. It was him against a killer--a fake killer, but he didn't know that. He was taking a gamble. He was at the end of the game--no super mushrooms, no rings, no maxim tomatoes; it was just him and the final boss, and one hit could very well mean certain death.

The punk threw everything but the kitchen sink at Chef, but the chainsaw cut through just about everything he threw. Which actually kinda scared me--that chainsaw was real... and he actually swung it at the campers?! Holy crap!

Eventually, Duncan won the bout after taking possession of the "killer's" chainsaw, like he was Locke Cole "treasure hunting" Edgar Figaro's chainsaw. **[1] **He also used the chainsaw to destroy the hook prop, making Chef vulnerable and unarmed.

We cheered for the punk--he had certainly earned our respect--but our cheers were short-lived, because...

"Ugh..." Gwen was still pissed as she poured orange juice into a glass. Carrying that and a plate of sandwiches to one of the tables, she sat down to eat.

And she soon had a visitor.

"...Oh, God..." The cynicism drained from Noah like a shot--a bad sign, for real. "Huge red flag: the guy is white."

"So?" an oblivious Lindsay asked.

"...Oh, crap!" Trent's face was paler than Gwen's right now.

And I bet mine was too. "Oh my God!!"

That... That... That was a real psycho killer!

With GWEN!!

-X-

Duncan's victory was short-celebrated when he appeared in the production tent. After realizing the psycho with Gwen was real, the entire group (even Heather, which honestly surprised me) ran out of the tent in terror, the slow Owen way behind the others.

"This could be really, really good for ratings," Chris told Chef, "but really, really bad for lawsuits!"

...Are you KIDDING?!

"It's obvious the jackass doesn't really care about our lives," Noah growled. "...What am I saying? It's _always_ been obvious!"

-X-

In the lodge, Gwen, not realizing this psycho was real, nonchalantly insulted the killer.

And Trent and I were... how should I put this? Well, we were FREAKING THE CRAP OUT!!

It's a wonder I didn't _pass out _from all this!

"GWEN, GET OUT OF THERE!!" Trent shouted. I couldn't even say a word anymore.

I could scream like a little girl, though, and I did.

"GUYS!" we heard from outside the room, and DJ suddenly stepped in. "Jesus Christ! She's _still alive_! Calm the frick down!"

"Oh, thanks for spoiling it for us, DJ!" Noah threw a couch pillow at him.

"Hey! Forgive me for keeping Cody and Trent from having a heart attack! Geesh!" He then stepped out of the room.

Onscreen, the killer revealed that his hand really was missing.

"...Okay, I really didn't need to see that," Courtney said in disgust, shutting her eyes tight.

Suddenly, the others barged into the lodge, revealing to Gwen that the psycho killer was real.

"What?" Gwen inquired in shock before turning back to the killer, who had raised the chainsaw and hook, preparing to strike. Screaming, Gwen dropped her sandwich and repeatedly kicked the killer in the face, disarming the killer in the process. Shawn Michaels would be proud. **[2]**

"...That was the most awesome thing I have ever seen," Trent said, as if in a daze.

"Ditto," I replied, also in a daze. Heh, heh...

"I predict," Noah began, "that, no matter what happens to her after this show, there's no way Gwen wil ever be raped."

"Oh, hell, no," Trent agreed. "She'll kick their heads off."

"'Totally uncalled for'?" I had to question the killer. "You were about to _**kill**_her."

"And you guys say I sound feminine," Noah scoffed. "Did you hear this guy?"

-X-

At the bonfire ceremony, Chris revealed that Gwen won invincibility because of what happened. However, he believed it was just as obvious that DJ leave because he freaked out without even being confronted by a "psycho killer," which I thought was bullsh--

"Awww..." Katie and Sadie both cooed as the campers onscreen gave each other a group hug to send DJ home with a smile. I had to smile too at that. It wasn't very often that everyone got along so well, and with DJ gone it may not happen again.

-X-

One thing we noticed once the episode ended was the fact that... well... it took longer than two hours. Where's our newbie? Chris said that this new loser would be here by now.

So, I decided to see if our fugitive friend had seen this new person.

Sure enough, he had... because she was there with him.

"Izzy?" I watched as she lie on Harold's back, pounding the crap out of it. "What are you doing?"

Harold looked up at me. "Oh, hey Cody. Izzy's just getting--OW!--rid of these knots in my--GOSH!--back. See, I've been cramp--AUGH!--ing a lot since I've been sleeping in here for... how long have I--OW!--been in here?"

"Aw, hell, you're going to make me think now?" I joked. He didn't seem amused.

"Look, this is--OW!--my sixth hiding spot already--OW! Courtney is good, man. Real--GOSH!--good. I don't think I'll be able to hide anymore soon." He sighed. "I guess I'll just have to be elusive, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." I looked up at Izzy, who had suddenly taken pleasure of straddling his lower back. "...Uh... I'm gonna go now and... leave you two alone."

"Yeah, that'd be best." He sighed. "She doesn't take 'no' for an answer."

"You got that right!" With that, she thumped her hips down on him.

"GOSH!!"

...Yeah, I better leave...

-X-

"So, Izzy was voted off, huh?" Noah asked after I told him and the others what I saw. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"Because it's Izzy?" Eva suggested, and Noah agreed that that was the best answer.

"I still feel terrible about Harold," I told them, shrugging. "I mean, sure, what he did was wrong, but... does he really deserve to be hunted down like an animal?"

"I don't know... Courtney seems to be more focused on her lawsuit against Chris these days." Noah gestured toward the CIT, who was on the phone with a law firm. "That doesn't mean she and Harold are completely through, though."

"Yeah."

"I doon't see why you guys care, eh." Ezekiel sat next to me, and put an arm around me in a "buddy" fashion. "I mean, he's a traitoor, ya knoow."

"...Have you been listening to Courtney's rants again?" I asked, and he nodded.

"He's noothing but a traitoor, eh, and he deserves what he gets." It was then that I noticed his new look--his sweatshirt was replaced with a wife-beater and a gold Zed necklace, and he also wore a pair of sunglasses.

"Weren't you two friends once?" Noah inquired.

"Hoow can I be friends with a jerk that joost cheats his way to the top?"

"...He was eliminated in the next episode," I pointed out.

"Soo? I can't condoon that, eh. I've changed, y'see. I can't be homies with a guy like that. I'm too cool fur that, eh."

"...Too cool for that?" I glared at him. "Dude, have you gone insane?"

"Hey, yer the one that taught me how to be cooler, eh," he accused.

"I taught you how to become more social, not how to become an ass!" I argued.

"Well then yer not a very good teacher, are you?"

"Well maybe that's because I'M NOT COOL, ALRIGHT?!" My eyes widened, and my hands found my mouth in a flash. Did... Did I just say...?

No! It can't be right. I'm cool, right? Right? I'm the Codemeister--the King of Cooldom! The King of Cool can't be uncool; it can't be possible!

...

I'm not cool...

I... I'm not cool...

"Whatever, eh." The homeschooled teen shrugged it off and stood up. "I've goot moore important things to do. Like teach soome guys in the kitchen and janitoorial staff how to speak English." As he walked off, I could almost feel everyone's eyes on me.

All this time, I prided myself on being the go-to guy for coolness...

And I wasn't even cool myself...

-X-

I had locked myself in my room for the next few days.

Noah became my outside source for what was going on elsewhere. Every morning, afternoon, and evening he'd come to bring me food, and he was the only one I let in. DJ, Tyler, Sadie, Katie, Trent... even Courtney tried to get me out of my funk. But it was all for naught. I hated myself then. Yeah, that's right. The cheery, happy guy you all love so damn much... almost wanted to die.

And why shouldn't he? Before--hell, even during--Total Drama Island, he was living a lie. He thought he was the coolest guy ever. People (nerds) looked up to him, and they (nerds) thought he was cool, yes. But they were... do I need to spell it for you? NERDS. And that's all I was. That's all I ever was going to be. A cool person among nerds, and nothing more.

Looking back at my time on the island, I came to a conclusion. I knew it before that outburst with Ezekiel. It was floating at the back of my head this whole time I was at Camp Wawanakwa. The girl of my dreams had implanted the idea in my brain, but I often tried to ignore it. I would make excuses. She's a goth, of course she's going to reject a cool person like me. But that couldn't have been the case. Even back then, I considered Trent cooler than I was. Where I was the King of Cool, Trent was the Governor, or perhaps the Saint of Cool. The Czar, maybe. Even as the King, I considered him higher yet on the totem pole of cool. So that couldn't have been it--if Gwen liked someone so cool, that couldn't possibly be the reason for my rejection.

Or could it?

Now, I wasn't sure anymore. It could've very well been the reason.

A few days after my funk began, Noah had come to my room, as always, in the afternoon, giving me lunch. He informed me of the next tape. I told him I didn't feel like watching it, and, shrugging it off, he went off without me.

I lay on my bed, thinking to myself and only wanting to be alone.

...

...

...

I'm bored.

I turned on my side. It was about a half hour after Noah had left, and the faint laughter from downstairs was taunting me. As much as I hated myself right now, I felt terrible that I wasn't with the group during one of the few moments we had every so often when we actually spend time together as a "family" of sorts. It was certainly one of the most fun experiences at the Playa des Losers, despite the fact that it was a fancy five-star resort with several pools, rooms for recreation, and other fun activities.

And I was missing out on it.

Why?

Just because I felt bitter?

I sat up. I can't have that. How many days left do I have with these guys? After Total Drama Island, we're probably going to be split up and going our separate ways. I'll probably never see the likes of Noah or Eva or Trent or DJ or Tyler or Bridgette or... _her_ again.

So I had to make the effort. I had to be there. Share some moments, some memories. I can't just leave this show being remembered solely as "that perverted geek that got mauled by a bear."

So I got out of bed and walked out of my room. Cody was back, whether the Codemeister liked it or not.

-X-

By the time I entered the room, I automatically kicked myself.

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" Izzy had shouted as soon as I came in, and I caught a glimpse of Duncan and a raccoon falling off a cliff.

Damn, I really should've taken Noah's offer. This episode already looked kickass.

"What changed your mind?" I turned to Noah, who had kept a spot open on the couch for me.

"I did," I simply said as I sat down next to my buddy.

-X-

Noah had to fill me in on what was going on in the episode, and even told me a few things some of the others had said, like how Noah commented on Chris having a beaver on his head ("That's a 'dam' fine hat, Chris.") and Lindsay commenting on Heather breaking a nail file (GASP! "She killed that poor nail file!").

By the time he finished explaining the episode, the one person I was hoping to see on the screen had appeared--with Heather's help, she was able to lock up her animal: a speedy duck.

"Heather does realize she just helped her adversary win, right?" Eva questioned.

"And she calls me dumb," Lindsay added.

Gwen hopped up and down in excitement, then folded her hands together as she began listing off different duck-themed foods. I was so glad I came down here when I did--that was, by far, the cutest thing I had ever seen. And I've seen Katie and Sadie. In person. Seriously, there have been times where I could describe Gwen as hot or beautiful or what have you, but here, really the only thing I could possibly say to describe her is "so gosh darn lovably cute."

And I did. And Trent broke out in a fit of laughter. (And don't take that the wrong way--he agreed with me full-heartedly.)

Duncan soon showed up with a raccoon, also calling for Heather to open the cage.

"It's like it's her job," Noah said.

"Dammit!" Courtney cursed. "Why didn't he get there a minute sooner? It's like he wanted her to win the challenge... again!"

Onscreen, Heather, thinking it could help create a potential alliance with Duncan, finally allowed the punk to help her. Meanwhile, Geoff and Izzy were still trying to bag their animals, the latter ultimately shooting a tranquilizer at a plane in flight.

"..._Really_?" Noah could only ask. Izzy just shrugged.

As the rest of the campers continued to try and catch their animal, Duncan somehow managed to get Heather to wear a dear outfit in order to lure a bear.

"Oh, 'deer'." Zeke chuckled. "Hehehe. Get it? 'Dear'?"

"It's not that funny, Zeke," Bridgette muttered.

"Yes, 'deer.' Hehehe..."

Onscreen, Gwen was sitting at a dinner table in front of the cage with for-show candlelight and a tablecloth.

Chris, leaning against the cage, commented on the scene before him. "Wow! That all looks good!"

"Open the cage!" was the shout of the day, obviously, as Geoff carried a beaver dam over to the cage. Chris, now apparently taking over Heather's job, opened the cage for Geoff to dump the beavers in.

"Hey, man, impressive!" Chris congratulated. "And no rabies!"

Leshawna appeared next, covered in mud. She dumped the frog out of the pail once she reached the cage. Her look to Chris seemed rather emotionless. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Congratulations, you guys," Chris said possibly sincerely--possibly--and the two campers walked away, giving Gwen dirty looks (no pun intended on Leshawna's part) as they walked by.

"Huh. I guess they're just jealous," she said smugly as Chef appeared with her food.

Meanwhile, Izzy had finally found a deer, and she shot it with her tranquilizer gun.

Noah looked at our Izzy, who was giggling to herself. "What did you do?"

"Oh, you'll see..."

After being startled by a running bear, Izzy had come into contact with another camper: Duncan. "Have you seen Heather?"

...No freaking way...

...

I am so glad I decided to come down here...

-X-

Despite how much we losers were laughing at Heather's misfortune, no one laughed harder than the punk onscreen. I thought he was about bust a gut.

Gwen, meanwhile, was still at the dinner table, her food finally set up. Chris, at the other end of the table, leaned against it with his elbow, like he was a patron at a bar. "So, what are you having first?"

"I don't even know where to start," she admitted, though she seemed to go for the turkey right away...

"Make a mental note, Trent," I said at this time, eyeing the food on the table and recalling Noah saying that the food would be the winner's favorites, "turkey, steak, pancakes, and grape soda."

"Got it."

Unfortunately, before Gwen could eat any of the food, Owen appeared, chasing his nemesis the chipmunk (very comic size difference much?) around the area, circling the table. The chipmunk, at one point, hops over the table, and Owen absentmindedly ran through it, destroying it like he was a Dudley. **[3]**

...You know, there's a saying some people use in order to put their buds' interests before the girls that they like: "bros before hos." Perhaps this event is why that particular quote never crossed my mind during the finale.

"Poor Gwen," Trent sighed. "She was actually going to be able to eat."

"She had it coming," Courtney argued. "You saw how smug she was with Geoff and Leshawna. She was practically rubbing it in everyone's faces that she won."

"And you wouldn't do the same thing?" I questioned.

"Nope."

"Don't trust her," Noah muttered. "She's a politician."

-X-

We all laughed at the sight of Heather during the bonfire ceremony. I was almost shocked she wasn't voted off in her condition.

But then I realized that they probably considered Izzy to be a little too dangerous. Especially since she didn't give the crew back their tranquilizer gun.

Ultimately, Izzy was eliminated, disappearing in a cloud of smoke, but Heather still had some unfinished business to take care of. She requested Duncan's help, so even though Duncan was second place, he had to do the last place punishment.

And while he was doing her job... she was using a nail file.

"Hey, she's not really paralicized!" Lindsay shouted.

"Nope. She's not 'paralicized' at all," Noah muttered in agreement.

I personally think that's what did it for Courtney. Before today, she would at least attempt to give Heather at least a little credit for her strategizing and intelligence, despite how much everyone else hated the queen bee. However, after seeing this, she seemed to take our side much more often. Perhaps Heather manipulating Duncan had something to do with it? Just a thought...

-X-

We were eating dinner after the episode. I knew coming downstairs was a good idea--I was no longer depressed, and the others--even Courtney--were happy to see me eating with the others. Ezekiel even apologized for earlier.

"Soorry, eh. I didn't mean to hoort yer feelings. I was just bloowing soome steam."

"I understand."

"No, really, I... I feel terrible. You were all by yerself fur the last few days, eh, and that was all my fault."

I sighed. "Zeke, sometimes you're going to upset people. That's life." I flashed a grin. "Besides, you're right. I'm a bad teacher. I shouldn't have tried to teach you to be a more social person."

Zeke smiled. "Well, I'm certainly glad you doon't hoold a grudge, eh."

"I try not to," I admitted. "I never like to be on people's bad sides. But you can't please everyone," I told him. "If there's anything you learn from me, let it be that."

"That I can't please everyone?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"...Ookay, eh," he nodded in understanding.

"CHYA!! WHAT'S UP, DUDES?!"

Zeke and I, along with everyone else in the room, turned to the new voice.

No way!

Now _Geoff_ was kicked off?!

"GEOFF!" Well, at least Bridgette was ecstatic to see him.

And hey... at least things around here will feel more like a party. Maybe this isn't a bad thing after all.

**-X-**

**[1] Locke Cole and Edgar Figaro are two of the major protagonists from Final Fantasy VI. Interestingly enough, I have noted a few times at the TDI Writers' Lounge and on DeviantART that Cody and Edgar have... a heck of a lot in common. XD**

**[2] Shawn Michaels is a professional wrestler, most famous for being the "Heartbreak Kid" in World Wrestling Entertainment. His finisher, Sweet Chin Music, is a one-legged dropkick to the chin.**

**Of course, the fact that Shawn Michaels is hated by many Canadian WWE fans, or at least the ones we see in the arenas, all because of one frickin' match that took place over ten years ago with Bret Hart, could mean that it may not be the greatest idea to use him as a reference. XD**

**[3] Another reference to professional wrestlers, the Dudley family is one of the biggest and most diverse overall stables in pro-wrestling history. Two fictional half-brothers, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley, now known as Brother Ray and Brother Devon of Team 3D in Total Nonstop Action (TNA), are possibly the most famous duo in the Dudleys' colorful history, and are well known for their constant use of tables in matches.**

**-X-**

**Guess what! We're two episodes away from "After the Dock of Shame", and you know what that means...**

**It means... I have absolutely NO IDEA what to do! D8**

**The episode isn't exactly in chronological order in some places, and Cody is hardly in any of it.**

**Perhaps I should just have him off to the side the whole episode? On the bright side: if I do that, it'll help breeze through this season so we can get into TDA faster! 8D Also, less work for me. That also works for me. XD**

**I'll figure something out, don't worry. But if you guys do have any ideas over what he could be doing at any certain parts, and you've seen the episode on YouTube or something recently, you can give me ideas if you want. I'd appreciate it. :D**

**Also, there was an idea that I decided not to use in this chapter. Since this guy's not reading this story anymore, I don't see any consequences in saying this. Though I still won't tell you who the guy is out of respect for his privacy, I will admit more that I probably should. This guy, who requested the breakdown and Cody and Sadie hooking up in the first place... hasn't been reading the fic since Sadie showed up at the PdL. Yep. The requester didn't even read his requests being fulfilled. Why? Because the story became "too general." So, since he's not reading this fic anymore, I decided not to fulfill his final request of Gwen forcing Chris to make her another meal. Sorry if you would've liked that idea, but I'm not fulfilling anymore requests from this guy, at least for this fic. If he's not going to read it, there's no point.**

**However, I do thank him for those earlier requests. I see they were loved by many readers. :)**


	46. The Odd Couples

**I checked the Total Drama wiki recently, and found out that I actually have missed some of the dubs on the show (as I've, honestly, forgotten to look them up lately, which is funny because I still fixed the ones I actually remembered from the last time I checked). Sorry about that. If you guys don't care though, I won't either. Same goes for typos and misquotes. If you guys don't really care about the mistakes in the fic, I won't worry about them.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Five: The Odd Couples**_

"WOO! This is, like, the coolest place ever!"

I chuckled as Geoff wandered around the outdoor area of the resort. "Dudes! Check this place out!"

"We've checked it out already, Geoff," Bridgette said with a chuckle of her own. "We've been here the past few weeks."

"...For real?" He laughed at the irony. "Oh, man! I feel sorry for..." he began to count on his fingers, "the, uh... four people who don't win. This is, like, Lindsay flicking Heather off... times eleven!"

I chuckled again. "I think that's the point."

"You know, I bet this is the resort that was on the application form," Geoff continued to point out the obvious. "Those dudes are clever."

"Very," Noah agreed monotonously, somewhat annoyed by Geoff antics.

Bridgette must have caught his attitude because she gave the bookworm a dirty look before glomping Geoff out of the blue from behind. "You're such a perceptive guy, Geoffy."

"And Bridge, babe!" I guess he wasn't done. He turned toward her and held her in his arms. "You're, like, the best thing about this place, baby!"

"Aww, you're so sweet, babe," Bridgette cooed, before planting a kiss on his lips.

Which soon turned into a second.

Which turned into a third.

Which turned into a make-out-fest.

Shocked and... well, mostly shocked, many of us that followed Geoff out here decided to leave them alone at this time. Noah, Katie, Sadie, and I specifically decided to go to the snack bar area.

"So, I wonder why Geoff was kicked off," I pondered, though really it was only to start a conversation.

"Beats me," Noah admitted as he leaned an elbow on the bar. "The guy could light up a dark room."

"Oh, totally," Katie agreed. "Geoff's, like, the partiest guy ever!"

"...Partiest?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Never mind."

Chuckling, I looked over to Geoff and Bridgette again, and spotted someone coming over to us. "Hey, Zedmeister, what's up?"

"I ain't fallin' fur that ag'een." He stepped into the surrounding pool and sunk. "Guys, I knoow this is gon' sound stupid, eh, but... do you think I have a... um... chance?"

"At what?" I asked, and immediately kicked myself. Noah also took the liberty of kicking me, too, literally.

"At Bridgette, eh." He lowered his head. "I tried to come up with one of those raps, boot... they didn't woork oot like I would'a hooped."

"Well, she is with Geoff, you know," Noah pointed out.

Curious as I was, I decided to ask, "How did it go?"

"...Uh..." Ezekiel seemed to have an itch on his arm--he was rubbing it a lot. ...Okay, I know he's actually embarrassed, but forgive me for trying to look at things differently. "Ookay, it was soomething like this:

"G'day, eh, this is the Z-E-Day... comin' at ya from the good ol' Playa de... Losers, eh, but I ain't no loser, eh... so... uh... Crap, I forgot what was after that... but yeah, she didn't like it all that much."

"She probably wasn't interested anyway," Noah said nonchalantly, and I glared at him.

"Dude, not cool," I snapped at him.

"Noo, I get it, eh." Zeke nodded, agreeing with Noah. "But I was kinda hoopin' she would... you knoow... see me as a fr'eend. Someone to go to when she's feelin' sad, eh."

I turned away, only just realizing I had been biting my lower lip for most of what he just said. "Uh, yeah. I know what you mean."

"Boy, does this sound familiar," Noah joked, elbowing me in the arm. I wasn't amused.

"Don't worry, Zeke," Sadie spoke up, probably because I wasn't doing a very good job at it. "You'll find a girlfriend someday."

"Maybe, but I doon't think I'll find anyone like Bridgette, eh."

"Okay, I'm done here." Without even looking at the homeschooled teen, I left the pool and walked away. I needed to get out of there. For some reason... I felt suffocated.

...

For some reason? Pfft! Cody, you know damn well what that reason is.

...

Cody...

...

Cody!

...

You can't run from this forever.

Especially since--

"Coody?"

--Zeke's following you.

I stopped. Oh, man. I turned around to meet what now felt like my reflection staring right back at me.

"I didn't hurt yer feelings ag'een, did I?"

"N-no, no... I just... needed some space. That's all." There I go again with my nervous chuckles.

"Noo, I knoow what that means, eh. Yer gonna lock yerself up ag'een and it'll be all my fault ag'een--"

"No, it's not your fault," I interrupted him. "Believe me, I... I'm just going through some... epiphanies, I guess."

"Epiphanies, eh?"

"Yeah."

"Ooh... Uh... so... what epiphany, eh?"

"Um... the kind where even I'm not so sure?" Okay, sort of a lie, I guess. Well, we'd all know about lies, wouldn't we, Cody?

"Ooh, yeah. Thoose are some tough ones, eh. I hoope you figure it oot someday. And let me knoow if you do, 'kay?" With a smile, he turned to walk back to the others at the snack bar.

...Who says he doesn't have rhythm? Or at least rhyme.

-X-

Did I ever figure out those epiphanies? Well, of course, I figured out I wasn't cool, but I did figure out a few more things than that. Aside from lying to myself for so long, for a moment there I thought I was on my own little island, no pun intended. But seeing Zeke pine for Bridgette like he was... it made me think, made me realize:

I'm not alone.

And does the Codemeister come back from time to time? Of course he does. I can't deny my love for the ladies. I may not be the ladies' man I thought I was, but hey! I've been told that I'm cute. Why not put on a show? What's wrong with having a little fun?

And, of course, there's still a little perv in me. Wink, wink. Kink, kink. Hehehe.

-X-

Not much worth noting happened the next few days. Most of us just kinda hung out, talking about our lives and what have you. Ezekiel still tried to get Bridgette to notice him, now introducing his multilingual skills in his raps. It didn't work. Courtney did manage to find Harold's hiding space. After narrowly making it out of there alive, he decided to be "elusive" like he told me he would have to be. Geoff and Bridgette started to make out virtually nonstop--they've obviously missed each other very much. Lindsay and Tyler were still together, though she had asked him where Tyler was on occasion (he thought she was joking at first, but... he wasn't so sure anymore).

Chris appeared at the resort the next day, videotape in hand yet again. "Y'ello, losers! Glad to see you're all enjoying yourselves... despite being losers."

"Shut up," Eva mumbled, her arms folded.

"Meh." Chris handed the tape over to Trent. He was about to turn to leave, but stopped himself. "Oh, before I go: tomorrow's a special day for you guys. Think of it as a special episode. Documentary-style. Maybe. So, see ya tomorrow!" He waved as he left.

It was interesting that despite all the ill will we may have for Chris before he comes with the tape, most of us don't try to kill him or even bat an eye at him when he does appear. Maybe we're that apathetic?

Geoff was actually very excited about this for some reason. While most of us either wanted to know why they were kicked off--whether they were pissed or confused--Geoff was downright thrilled to see the events unfold before his very eyes.

The episode began typically: the sleeping campers woke up via some unorthodox method (Chris decided to use a helicopter again), which didn't sit so well with them.

From the cockpit of the helicopter, Chris attempted to shout over the helicopter blades: "Welcome back to Total Drama Island! Over the past six weeks we've watched sixteen campers push themselves to the limit, and then get their butts kicked off by their fellow campers. Sucks to be you." He listed us off. "Ezekiel, Eva, Noah, Justin, Katie, Tyler, Izzy, Cody, Beth, Sadie, Courtney, Harold, Eva again, Trent, Bridgette, Lindsay, DJ, and Izzy... again." He landed the helicopter in the middle of the campgrounds and stepped out before continuing. "Only six campers remain, and after six weeks of bugs, yucky camp food, and even grosser bathrooms, our six finalists are _this _close to losing it." He did the traditional finger-thumb gesture that went along with that last line. "We strove to come up with the best way to help the campers distress... then decided it would be way more fun to handcuff them together and see if we couldn't push them over the edge."

Chris then proceeded in telling the lined-up campers of their next challenge: the Tri-Armed Triathlon. Heather shared her disgust right away. "Have you met these people? I am not being chained to any of them."

I chuckled. "I wouldn't mind being handcuffed to--whoops!" I covered my mouth. "Did I say that out loud?" Apparently, Tyler, Izzy, and Sadie were the only ones that apparently found what I said funny, because they were the only ones laughing at it.

Speaking of whom I wouldn't mind being handcuffed to--wink, wink--she was next seen in the confessional, and the six weeks of hell was proving to start taking its toll. "Six long weeks... I don't know how much more of this I can take. The person who's creasing me the most? Geoff."

"Whoa, what?!" Bridgette gasped, shocked at hearing this. Honestly, I was, too.

She continued. "The guys is in a permanently good mood. No one is always in a good mood. And if he says 'Dude' or 'Cool' or eats with his mouth open one more time, I' think I'm gonna seriously damage him."

"Whoa..." Geoff rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't see that coming."

"Gwen!" Bridgette shouted at the screen as if she could hear her. "How could you say that with HEATHER still there?!"

"Relax, babe," Geoff coaxed. "Gwen doesn't think this way about me anymore. We're tight now."

"But... but... she supported me with you... I thought--"

"Shh... It's okay, Bridge. Look!" he pointed to the television, and I assumed he was trying to cheer her up. "I'm on TV, Bridge!" Well, at least I _hope_ he was trying to cheer her up.

Onscreen, Geoff was in the confessional now, his mood going from happy to sad, back to happy, back to sad in virtually nothing flat as he told about his experiences in the final six. Noah commented on this, asking him if he was bipolar.

Duncan, Leshawna, and Owen would also have their say in the confessional, but other than Geoff being confused about Duncan saying he didn't have any friends, no one really said much about their confessions.

The final six were sent to the lodge, where they were handcuffed by Chef. Geoff was cuffed to Gwen (lucky bastard), Owen was cuffed to Heather (not-so-lucky bastard), and Duncan was cuffed to Leshawna (I'm not so sure yet).

"I don't envy Heather right now," Courtney admitted.

"I don't envy _Owen_," Tyler remarked.

"First of our three challenges: Competitive Chow Down," Chris announced.

"Oh, man..." Noah groaned. "If Owen eats, there goes everyone else's chances."

"He eats," Geoff told him.

"Hey! No spoilers!"

Chris continued to explain the challenge, including the one factor that was consistent with all three challenges (aside from the handcuffs themselves): the wimp key. Chef brought out the platters for the three teams at this time.

As Leshawna and Duncan argued over who would eat, Gwen was actually trying to Geoff to argue with her.

"It's Chef's cooking, Gwen," Noah commented, rolling his eyes. "It's also a challenge. Put two and two together, and the obvious choice is to get the guy who actually doesn't care who eats _to_ eat."

"It wasn't that bad, actually," Geoff said, and Noah gave him a strange look.

"You know, I worry about you sometimes..."

"Thanks!"

The food was brought out, and many of us gagged at the sight. For starters... green chicken? UGH!

And it made us wonder exactly why Duncan would cheat at an arm wrestling match with Leshawna in order to eat this crap!

Of course, he would live to regret it. Leshawna was practically shoving food in his mouth with every spoonful. Courtney lifted a finger in protest, but stopped herself. I bet she figured she probably would've been doing the same thing, too.

Geoff and Gwen were having problems, too. Geoff apparently loved the food so much that he would keep interrupting and tell her she should try the food.

"...Were you delusional, Geoff?" Noah asked, and I chuckled.

"I'm not a magician," was the response he got, and my sides began to ache from laughter.

In the end, Heather and Owen ended up winning the first round when Heather slammed the plate into Owen's face. Owen miraculously swallowed most of what went into his mouth in one gulp.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" I thought Chris was going to have a heart attack for a moment there. "That was awesome! I think it's obvious. The winners are Heather and Owen!"

"Alright, Owen!" Heather cheered, surprising the crap out of me and, assumedly, the rest of us. "Way to go! You are one champion eater!" She gave him a hug, and he actually felt uncomfortable. "What a team!"

"Uh... thanks..."

"For once," Noah pointed out, "Owen actually dreads a hug. That's new."

Of course, their victory was short lived, since Owen was hit with a major gas attack. Poor Heather. ...Pfft! Hahahahaha!

"Fun times," Noah sighed with a sarcastic smile. "Fun times."

"I almost feel sorry for Heather," Trent said, still smiling.

"I don't," Lindsay said, shaking her head.

"Me neither," Beth added.

"Me three!" Lindsay, sometimes you make us wonder what goes on in that pretty little head of yours.

The second challenge was another canoe trip to Boney Island. Chris kept the premise of the challenge vague, and the campers trampled him on the way to their canoes. Ah, that was fun to watch.

Duncan and Leshawna, once again, were arguing. Duncan almost made the mistake of commenting on her weight, but she put him in his place.

"Push it, big boy," Heather cheered on Owen, who was pushing their canoe into the water, "like it's a big old truck full of doughnuts!"

"Dear Lord, she speaks Owen," I gasped.

"Darn," Tyler groaned. "They might win this yet."

"Actually--" Geoff began, but Noah quickly cut him off.

"NO! No spoilers, Geoff!"

"Yeah, Noah's not a big fan of them," DJ confirmed, and Geoff went silent.

Onscreen, Geoff was pushing his and Gwen's canoe into the water. ...Remember when it was brought up that Geoff is like a successful me? Or at least I think I mentioned it... Anyway, Geoff kinda proved it here, since Gwen seemed like she was on another canoe trip to hell. "This one time, we had a massive pool party, and my buddy Jay and I decided to take our buddy's lawn and replant it in the school foyer."

"I don't care..."

"No, no, but it was, like, so awesome!" He got in the canoe and they started paddling before he continued. "We put a cup and flag on it and actually putted a few rounds before getting caught! The principal gave us the longest detention in school history!"

And that's when she snapped.

"Will you _please shut up_?!"

Geoff didn't know what hit him. "Whoa, harshness."

"Oh, I know!" Gwen began to rant. "I'm the harsh, weird, scary goth girl who's being all mean and snappish as usual!"

Geoff seemed very lost by this sudden outburst. "I didn't say that."

Meanwhile, Duncan and Leshawna weren't exactly on the best of terms either, but you already knew that.

"Does Duncan want to die?" I had to ask after Duncan, once again, alluded to her weight.

"Yes. Yes he does," Noah answered.

The argument, surprisingly, began to cool down as Leshawna revealed that Courtney told her about Bunny, and that Duncan wasn't exactly the tough guy he claims to me.

"That was awfully cool of Duncan to find my Bunny," DJ beamed, playfully petting his pet bunny rabbit.

Geoff let out a nervous chuckle. "Uh... yeah."

"You didn't watch the earlier tapes, did you?" Noah questioned.

"No," DJ admitted. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason."

Heather and Owen reached the island first and found their package: a backpack. Heather reached in and pulled out part of the tiki doll Beth took from the island on their first trip. Just then, Chris appeared above them in his helicopter, shouting down at them with a megaphone, "Welcome to the second part of the second challenge. Back in episode eight, your teammate Beth stole the Boney Island tiki idol."

At this time, Gwen and Geoff had reached the beach. "She said she returned that!" Gwen shouted up at the host.

"She lied. She broke it up and flushed it down the septic tank."

Heather dropped the idol piece in disgust as everyone else showed theirs.

"Is that true?" Bridgette asked the farm girl, who looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Sh-Sh-Sh-Shorry..."

We didn't press the issue. Instead, we turned our attention back to the screen, where Chris continued explaining the challenge. The teams had to throw their idol piece into the Cave of Treacherous Terror. As Leshawna and Duncan approached the shore, Chris revealed one last piece of information about their challenge: "Oh, yeah! One of you has to piggyback the other. Enjoy!" With that, he flew off, and the teams were on their own.

Owen quickly knew who should ride whose back. "Hop on, cowgirl!"

"He is a loyal steed, ain't he?" DJ joked.

"Oh, yeah," Izzy confirmed. "I've rode him like a horse before."

Silence filled the room, the only sounds being of Leshawna and Duncan's fighting on the TV screen.

"...Please tell me you mean piggyback," I had to say.

"Of course I mean that, you sick pervert."

I tried to ignore that, bringing my attention back to the screen, where Geoff let Gwen on his back no questions asked.

"The more I see you, Geoff," Noah said, "the more I'm convinced you're like a successful Cody."

"Hey!" Okay, I knew it was true. I even mentioned it before, but... did he have to say it in front of everyone?

"Kidding! Geesh!"

"It's cool, little dude," Geoff told me. "You know, she's talked about you before."

I frowned, suddenly recalling what she said about me during the rock climbing deal. "Yeah... I know..."

"No, I mean to me," he said. "Before I was voted off, we were talking and stuff, and she said she missed you."

Whoa, what? "Really?"

"Yep. She was all regretful and stuff about voting you off instead of Heather," he explained. "Said it was one of the biggest mistakes she made in her _whole life_--not just the competition."

I frowned again. "Oh, uh, well, she probably meant 'cause she could've gotten rid of Heath--"

"Nope! ...Well, okay, that was part of it, but don't be too modest, now."

"Yeah, it's not like she hates you or anything," Trent added.

...Yeah, this is _really_ helping, guys...

Onscreen, Gwen and Geoff reached a small beach. Confused, Gwen got off and looked at the map, while Geoff pulled out a camera and began to take pictures... which didn't sit well for our goth protagonist.

"You like to scrapbook, Geoff?" Noah inquired.

"It's a side-interest," the party boy admitted.

Shocked by Geoff's nonchalant attitude toward not seeming to care about the challenge, she grabbed his camera and threw it in the water.

Confused by this, Geoff decided to ask her if she was okay.

"Did she look okay, Geoff?" Noah asked.

"Oh, shut up, Noah," Courtney muttered.

"Look, you don't have to pretend to be friends with me, okay?" Gwen told the party boy onscreen. "I'm fine, so just leave me alone."

Geoff looked hurt. "I wasn't pretending. I-I really like you."

"Right. And if we went to the same high school, you'd probably invite me to all your wild parties, too."

"I totally would! But I didn't think you'd want to go."

"Why not? I'm not cool enough?"

Noah sighed. "Soap opera much?"

"Makes for good drama," I pointed out. He didn't argue with me there.

"No, you just seem like, I don't know, it's not your thing, you know?" Geoff, onscreen, was still trying to cheer Gwen up. He flashed a smile. "You probably think parties are pretty stupid anyway."

Gwen looked ashamed. "Well, I wouldn't know. I've never been to one."

Geoff looked like Gwen just grew a second head. "Oh, snap! You've never been to a party?"

"No, okay?" Then, she began to confess things which... really intrigued me, honestly. "Sometimes I wish I had been--that for one day I could be one of those happy, vapid girls, who gets along with everyone, and is all excited to eat excessive amounts of sugar, and do kareoke, cheerleading, and ponytails." She frowned. "I just don't think it's in my DNA."

Oh, Gwen...

Geoff put a hand on Gwen's shoulder. "Partying isn't in your DNA." He tapped his temple. "It's a state of mind."

"How deep," Noah commented.

"Thank you," our Geoff beamed.

TV Geoff continued. "When we get off this island, you are coming to an awesome party _chez moi_!"

"Sweet!" Gwen exclaimed--is it weird for me to find that cute?

"Yeah, baby! You're getting the lingo down already. Whoo!"

"Uh, I'm not sure I'm ready for the woo-hoos, yet." She pulled Geoff onto her back and continued their trek. "Woo?"

The party boy laughed. "We'll work on it."

-X-

Despite Geoff and Gwen's belief that they were the first ones to the cave, they actually weren't, and Geoff was happy to point out how lucky a break this was for them.

And soon after, I was happy to point out how cute Gwen's "Woo-hoos" were.

"You know, Cody, you're lucky I like you." Trent said. I'm sure he wasn't trying to be intimidating, but I shut up anyway.

It was now time for the third challenge: the Totem Pole of Shame and Humiliation.

"Ass," Eva mumbled.

"So, they have to put us in order of elimination?" Noah pointed out the obvious. "I hope they were paying attention."

"Chya!" Geoff agreed. "That challenge was brutal."

Justin shuddered. "Owen scares me, guys."

"Pleashe," Beth disagreed. "Heather'sh much worsh."

"Okay, this is sad, Geoff," Noah sighed. "I can understand mixing up their names, but their _faces_? How hard is it to figure out that the tall, skinny one left first?"

"Harsh, dude," Geoff shook his head. "They were voted off pretty early."

"Yeah, dude. lighten up," I added.

"...Are we supposed to feel offended by any of this?" Katie asked Sadie, both of whom were lying in front of me on the floor like they usually did.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying much attention," Sadie admitted.

Courtney cooed. "Aw, how sweet of Dunc--I mean, you carved something into my _skull_? You _freak_!"

"Nice cover-up," Noah added. "Like a real politician."

"And to think I almost sided with Heather!" Izzy shouted at the screen, giving the floor a harsh stomp. "That hoser!"

"It's nice of Owen to stand up for you," I pointed out.

Izzy nodded, smiling. "Yeah, maybe I'll give him a second chance for that."

"Hooly cow, eh," Ezekiel pointed to the screen. "The green haired guy and... uh... um..."

"Leshawna," I whispered.

"...Leshawna won, eh."

"How did they manage to stack those heads so high?" Noah pondered. "Surely, they would need a ladder or--"

"Magic, eh."

I chuckled at the next confession clip. "Owen cussed Heather out, too. Priceless!"

"Chyea! That is so awesome!" Geoff agreed, and he gave me a high five.

-X-

It had been a long day for the final six, but unfortunately it was time for one of them to go home... namely Geoff. Apparently, that conversation that Geoff had with Gwen was done off camera, which upset me, since I really wanted to know everything she said. Geoff wasn't entirely sure of everything they talked about either, but he did remember something about giving her an ultimate lesson in "Woo-hoos."

"Learn from Ric Flair; that's what I said," Geoff recalled. **[1]**

Onscreen, Chris began to call off the names of the safe parties. Surprisingly, Heather was not on the chopping block. Seriously, did they _not _want to get rid of her?

But guess who _were_ on the chopping block.

Of course they had to be on the same team. It just wouldn't be as exciting if they didn't, would it, Chris?

Suddenly, to our surprise, Gwen stood up, believing she was going home anyway. Chris made her sit back down, ticked that she was wrecking the moment. He stood behind his oil drum again. "The last marshmallow of the night goes to... Gwen. Geoff, time for you to go, bro."

"What?!" Somehow, she was still able to catch her marshmallow, even in her shock. She stood up, nearly horrified about what just happened. "Are you all crazy?! Geoff is the nicest guy in the world!"

"Yeah," Duncan agreed, as if she just proved their point. "Bingo, sister!"

"As if Heather could defeat nice," Owen said, giving Heather a not-so-friendly look.

"The power of nice is huge," Heather admitted, "and we're not worried about you in that department, Gwen."

Izzy yawned heavily. "This sounds like a bad anime dub."

Despite it all, Geoff actually left the island with a smile, but before he could get on the boat, Gwen remembered something. "Wait!"

Geoff turned around on the dock as Gwen ran up to him, holding up his camera. "I have something for you." She handed the camera to him. "I went back to Boney Island," she explained, feeling guilty about discarding it like she did. "I'm sorry. There might be just a little bit of Lake Wawanakwa in it."

The party boy shrugged it off. "Makes for a better souvenir, right?"

"Right." She waved. "Bye, Geoff. And thanks." She was about to walk back to camp, but Geoff stopped her, much to her surprise.

"Wait up!" He put an arm around her shoulder. Turning the camera around, he angled so the lens was facing them. "Say cheese!" he chuckled as he took the picture, and the episode ended on that happy note.

"Aww." Oh, come on. I had to "aww." Don't tell me that moment wasn't sweet. "I hope that picture comes out alright."

"I hope so, too," Geoff admitted. "But I've had a lot of practice with taking pictures of myself and friends like that. I'm sure it came out just fine."

-X-

Unlike the campers, we here at the Playa des Losers didn't have to worry about cameras and cameramen on a regular basis. We actually had privacy over these past few weeks.

So, imagine my surprise when I woke up the next morning to find a camera directly in front of my face.

"EEEEK!!" I yelped, and quickly covered my face with my covers in embarrassment. Chris wasn't kidding after all.

The cameras were now on us.

**-X-**

**[1] Another professional wrestling reference, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair is a retired veteran of the squared circle, and is one of the greatest and most respected "villains" in professional wrestling history. Often being depicted in his later years as an eccentric old man who loves to party, Flair is known for his "WOOOOOOs." In fact, it is so well known that whenever **_**any**_** professional wrestler performs a "knife-edge chop" (one of Flair's well-known attacks), the crowd often cries a "WOO" of their own.**

**-X-**

**Alright, thank you so much for all the reviews and everything, and also thank you for the ideas for the next episode: "Haut Camp-ture", AKA "After the Dock of Shame." Hopefully the next chapter won't disappoint. For that matter, I hope this one didn't either.**

**Also, I have a poll on my profile, if you guys want to take a part in it. It's just a simple YES or NO question, regarding the sins in "Camp Castaways." For more information, check out the poll.**


	47. Total Dramockumentary

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Six: Total Dramockumentary**_

The spotlight was now on us. Ladies all over Canada would tune in and see me. So I better look good.

I better work on my tan then.

I stepped outside, seeing everyone else already out there in various areas. Ezekiel, Trent, and Courtney were on some of the pool chairs, while Katie, Sadie, and Noah hung out at the snack bar. Geoff and Bridgette were having some alone time at the hot tub. And Harold...

...Oh boy...

"Dude," I whispered to him quietly, knowing Courtney was nearby and not wanting to give Harold's location away, "sooner or later you're going to have to face her."

He bit his lip. "I hope it's not anytime soon." He peeked his head out from behind the bush, most likely watching Courtney rant about him. When she started yelling, I decided to make my leave. That wasn't going to end very well, I just knew it.

I went toward this little "spa" area, where I found Beth and... are those sharks? Curious, I sat down nearby, deciding to take it easy and hopefully get a tan going. I don't even know if Beth noticed I was there--she did have cucumbers over her eyes--and I didn't want to bother her.

About twenty minutes later, I got a little hungry. I got the impression that the cameras would be there all day, so I figured I might even get a word in at this time. Can't deny the ladies what they're dying to see, right? Hehe...

I got up and made a beeline for the grill. During my time working on my tan I found that Courtney and Ezekiel had both left their pool chairs, and DJ had taken Courtney's spot. He and Trent were talking, so I decided not to bother them. Instead, I kept going, past a weight-lifting Eva and my friends at the snack bar. I also got a glimpse of Courtney, who... wait, is she carrying a _lamp post_?! ...Oh, crap... Harold, your mad skills better include being extremely elusive.

Once I made it to the grill, I noticed a cameraman nearby. He must've noticed me, too, because he turned the action over to me. Hehe.

I opened up the grill, not even aware at the time that I just saved a furry little guy's life. "After I got my body cast off and the stitches removed, I started to realize that this place is pretty sweet!"

"Yo, Cody!" I heard Trent call from the pool. "Need some sunscreen? You're looking a bit pink, dude."

"No thanks," I called back. "I'm trying to get a tan." I turned back to the camera with a smirk. "It attracts the ladiiiiies."

As the cameraman walked away, I chuckled. "Ah, that was fun," I said to myself, grabbing a bratwurst and going on my merry way.

-X-

I found myself back in the spa area for about a half an hour or so, still working on my tan for the lovely ladies watching the show. Whatever Beth was doing to look her best must have already been done, because the mud, cucumbers, and robe were gone, and she was just lounging around.

"Hey, Cody," she greeted as I sat down. "What'sh up? ...Uh... you're looking kinda red."

"Nah, that's just my tan," I assured her. "I'm fine. Trust me."

"...Okay, but I got shome shunshcreen if you want shome."

"Nah, I'm good." I leaned my head back and relaxed for a while, taking in as much of the sun's rays as I could.

-X-

I must have dozed off.

"Yo, Cody!" Chris shouted, waking me up. "Come on and join the group. Katie, Sadie, and Noah can't run this show on their own."

Yawning, I slowly got to my feet, feeling strangely funny for some reason.

I sat next to three of my buds at the side of one of the pools. "So, what's up, Zeke? Sadie? Katie?"

"I just got back from the hoot tub, eh," Zeke told me, looking a little upset. "So... what the heck happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

Before he could answer, a cameraman stepped up to us. "Any of you four want to comment on Heather?"

I bit my lip, afraid of what I may end up saying if I open my mouth.

"She was pretty bossy, eh," Ezekiel told the cameraman.

Katie quickly agreed. "Oh, she was _totally_ bossy."

"If none of us even like her," Sadie pondered, "how did Heather get into the final?"

"'Cause she's a conniving, backstabbing little witch, that's why!" Eva shouted from afar.

The cameraman shrugged it off and brought his attention to me, but I waved him off. Like I said, I didn't want to comment on Heather. So many words that aren't allowed on TV...

We watched as the cameraman walked toward Courtney, who seemed to be taking a break from her Harold manhunt. We heard him ask, "Who do you think should win the money?" and we quickly got up to move in.

And we weren't the only ones, either.

As Courtney began to admit who she thinks should win the money--Duncan (what a shocker)--we stood behind Courtney, joined by Beth, Izzy (in the pool), Trent, and Lindsay. Come on, Court. You want to be a politician, right? Expect this kind of thing to happen.

"Don't tell the others though, okay?" she whispered to the cameraman after admitting her preference to win.

"Oh, we already know," Izzy finally broke the silence. It didn't matter at this point, and with a playful smirk I stood arms akimbo. "You were all over him."

Noah made a comment of his own. "My golden lab drools less over a rib-eye steak."

"And... we eavesdropped again," Lindsay admitted, and Courtney groaned in anger. She stood up and walked away, lamp post still in her possession.

Chuckling and giggling, Trent and Lindsay sat down in the pool chairs nearby. The rest of us went our separate ways.

-X-

Of course, I went back to tanning elsewhere. And I must have dozed off... again, because I woke up on my gut, yawning, stretching... and realizing it was dark out. No way! I missed the whole damn day?! Ugh!

...I didn't even get to show my support for Gwen...

Groaning, I tried to stand up... and felt pain shoot through me. "OW-HOW-HOW-HOW!" What the hell?! I looked down.

HOLY CRAP!!

I was as red as a tomato!

So much for my tan... I'll be PEELING for the next few days!

Ugh... Today wasn't exactly the exciting day I was expecting, was it?

Suddenly, I became aware of a few strums of a guitar. Perhaps the day wasn't over yet.

I walked over to the large pool. Sure enough, cameras were still on. Noah, Beth, Justin, Tyler, Lindsay, and DJ were sitting on one side of the pool, with Bridgette and Geoff behind them. Trent (playing his guitar), Courtney, Harold (now wearing a lamp post), Ezekiel, and Izzy were sitting on the other side.

M... Maybe they won't notice the sunburn? Risking it, I walked up to the pool and sat next to Trent.

And of course _he_ noticed it. "Dude, you got cooked today."

"Who, me?" I used his shoulder to help me sit down... "AH-OW-HOW-OW-HOW-OW-OW!!" A few startled breaths later, I regained my composure. "A little sensitive..." I added with a nervous chuckle.

"So," DJ started, "who do you guys want to win if you could vote right now?"

Katie and Sadie, on inner tubes, floated from across the pool over to us. "Can I pick Sadie?" Katie asked.

"Aww..." Sadie cooed. "You'd pick me and not you?"

"Duh, you can't vote for yourself. That's tacky."

"Okay! I'll vote for you to win," she poked Katie on the nose, "and you vote for me to win!"

Courtney had to ruin the cuteness. "Girls, you have to be in the final five to get a vote. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah... I don't know then."

Hmm... Well, since we're on the subject... might as well say it now. "Well, I think Gwen should win."

"Really?" Lindsay asked in surprise. "But she rejected you on international TV for someone cooler, hunkier, and more stylish."

Some of the others, including Eva, who had just appeared to my right just a few moments ago, gave Lindsay an annoyed look. However, I couldn't take offence to that. I mean, hey, it's Lindsay. How can you be mad at her? ...You know, if you're a pervy teenage boy.

"Thanks for pointing that out, Lindsay." Really, I meant that. It was a good transition to what I was about to say, after all. But I admit, I was a little nervous--I am sitting next to Gwen's love interest, after all. Hell, let's count how many times I've let a nervous chuckle slip tonight, shall we? I let one out before when I sat down, and I let a second one out here. That's two. "Gwen is my dream girl," I admitted to the world. "I'm just not her dream guy. But as long as she's happy, hey... I'm happy." Nervous chuckle number three.

"That's pretty cool, dude." He put a hand on my shoulder, forgetting all about my... uh... skin condition.

"AAAAH!!" I yelped. "Hurts!" Nervous chuckle number four.

"Whoops! Sorry, man..."

"I can't decide between Leshawna and Gwen," Bridgette admitted. "They're both really cool."

"Leshawna... definitely..." Harold swooned, but he soon had Courtney in his face.

"But you'd vote for Duncan, right?" she asked, confusing him.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, I'm going to post all of your little love letters to Leshawna on the internet."

Harold's pupils shrunk at this classic case of political blackmail. "Fine. Whatever. I'll vote for Duncan." They both turned away from each other, and I could almost hear Harold's stifled chuckles. "Not."

"I think Owen should win," Beth spoke up, but before she could possibly say why, Noah made his disagreement known.

"He's a ticking time bomb of noxious fumes."

"Owen, definitely!" Geoff agreed with Beth. "The dude can chug three litres of pop in under a minute. He deserves a hundred G's!"

"I don't think anyone's giving Duncan enough credit," DJ said. "He woke up from a monster nap and helped us win the dodgeball challenge."

"Okay, that's true. That was some sick prison strategy he pulled out of his butt."

"All five of you wailing on one opponent at the same time," Eva recalled. "I like his style."

Lindsay spoke up last. "I think Gwen should win."

Suddenly, we were startled by a blast of smoke between Eva and DJ. Once the smoke cleared, in its place stood the ever-so-charismatic Chris McLean. With a laugh, he introduced a twist that would make M. Night Shyamalan crap his pants. "Tonight, _**you**_ will be voting off the next camper of Total Drama Island!"

"No way!" Lindsay said in disbelief.

"Oh, yes."

Just then, a little furry friend fell from the sky and into Lindsay's lap. "...Tyler?"

Really?

_Really?_

"Here's how it's gonna work," he told us. "There are no marshmallows. I'm gonna ask you one by one who you'd like to see join you here tonight at Playa des Losers." Note the play on words--just like when he said we would be voting someone out of Playa des Losers and they ended up back on the show. He put a positive spin on it this time, making it seem like we would want to vote for the person we liked the most.

And, of course, he'd go to Katie and Sadie first.

"Katie and Sadie, since you share a brain," I resent that, "I'll ask you both." Notice he still didn't say anything about them being thrown out of the competition or anything of the sort. "Who would you like to vote for?"

"Oh! I miss Leshawna the most!" Sadie said happily. Ding.

"Oh, it would be so much fun to have her here," Katie agreed. "Definitely Leshawna!" Ding.

We all gasped. Don't judge me; at the time I didn't know what Chris was planning--all the stuff I told you to notice I only noticed myself after watching the episode later on. "Why are you voting her off?" Courtney asked. "If you like Leshawna--" Ding, "--leave her in!"

"That's three votes--Leshawna," Chris tallied.

"What?! No!"

"You're just voting off my girlfriend to spite me," Harold said, and the two began a nerd-slap fight, which landed both of them in the water.

"Excellent..." Noah chuckled. I began to think that maybe he was a little bit of a sadist himself.

"Okay, on to the next voter: Lindsay," Chris announced.

Again, notice his picks.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna vote for Leshawna." Ding.

"Lindsay!" DJ called her out.

Unfortunately, Lindsay thought he was voting for her. "No, you can't vote for me. You have to vote for someone who's in the final five, like Leshawna!" Ding.

Ezekiel folded his arms, no longer amused. Obviously he knew where this was going long before the rest of us did.

"Okay, you guys," Izzy persuaded us, "NO ONE SAY LESHAWNA!" Ding. She covered her mouth--from the looks of things, she looked like she couldn't believe she just contributed to all this.

I guess when things like this happen, we don't exactly think straight. I mean, he counted Lindsay's vote twice. Why couldn't one of us go, "HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER-HEATHER"?

A parrot squawked, repeating Leshawna's name.

"NO!" I gasped, as did Katie and Sadie, who seemed to finally realize the chain reaction that their bumbling had caused.

"Seven votes--Leshawna," Chris pointed out.

"Chris, that was a parrot," Trent said, standing up and walking over to the smiling host. "It doesn't even know who Leshawna is." Ding.

Nice, Trent. Thanks a lot.

"Polly want a Leshawna!" the parrot squawked again. Ding.

"Nine!" Chris announced happily as Trent facepalmed. Damn. That's all he needed.

-X-

"And that's how it happened," Noah concluded at the dinner table later that night.

"What?!" From how things sounded, Leshawna couldn't believe her ears. "You mean to tell me that you had a chance to EASILY vote off Heather, and you guys vote ME off instead?!"

"Hey, chill," Geoff tried to reason. "Chris tricked us."

"Well," Katie said reluctantly, "he tricked Sadie and me, actually... and it kinda started a chain reaction."

"Sorry, Leshawna," Sadie added.

"I just can't believe that after all I went through, THIS is what gets me out of the competition," she complained. "I mean, it wouldn't be so bad if we on the island had a say in it."

"No one has a say in their own elimination unless they vote for themselves," Noah pointed out.

"...True, but still..."

"You're worried about Gwen, huh?"

She looked over at me. "Sh...Shorty? You're..." she stopped for a moment, realizing something else about me. A huge grin plastered on her face. "You're walkin'!" She walked up to me and nearly broke my back all over again with a big hug. "Congratulations, Short Stuff."

"Thanks."

She let go of me and nodded, answering my question. "Yeah, I am worried about Gwen, you're right. But I also would've loved those hundred G's, you know?"

"Who wouldn't?" I added with a shrug.

"Yeah. Say, have you seen Courtney?"

"She's probably hunting Harold down again," I joked.

I probably shouldn't have.

"WHAT?!" she gasped. Oh, crap... "What did he do?!"

"He got her kicked off the show illegally," Noah told her. "But despite the fact that Chris could've easily brought her back on the show and canned Harold instead, thus making it just as much his fault as Harold's, she continues to take it out on our gawky friend anyway."

Oh, yeah. Noah does have a little sadist in him, doesn't he?

"Oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh!" she shook angrily. "If she hurts my homeboy, I'm gon' damage her. Ain't nobody gon' stop me, neither." She walked away, obviously furious.

It was only a few moments later that Courtney had been chased into the room by the mall girl. Hiding behind one of the tables, she screamed, "I thought we were friends!"

"You gon' stop huntin' down Harold?"

"Yes! _Yes! _I'll stop!"

"And you bettah. I got my eye on you, girl." She folded her arms, giving Courtney one last glare before walking away.

As soon as it was safe, Courtney got up from behind the table. Hearing our stifled laughter, she gave us evil glares. "I hate you so much."

"Sorry, Court, but... the whole Nazi thing was getting old," I told her, and she just rolled her eyes.

Yeah, you can see why she doesn't like me all that much, huh?

**-X-**

**Sorry if I didn't use as much of the episode as you were hoping. I was going through the episode and... well... I really had no idea where to put him at some parts. So I kinda copped out in some areas.**

**Also, for the first time in this fic (because I'm an idiot and therefore only just figured out I could do this on Microsoft Works Word Processor), I've used the Canadian dictionary for spelling (notice the words "litres" and "offence" in the chapter?) instead of the American dictionary in the spell check. If you guys like this better (maybe it seems more "authentic" since the narrator is Canadian? XD), I'll continue to use it. If you don't like it, please let me know and I'll just use the American spelling I've grown up with.**


	48. Lost in a Monologue

**I was kind hoping on not doing a recap for the Playa des Losers episode, but since I was asked "rather nicely," I'll compromise by having a much-quicker-than-usual recap. This is probably what I should have been doing the whole time anyway, but oh well. XD**

**I'll also use this chapter for actually trying to get some more original material out since some of you have probably been bored out of your skulls reading stuff that you've already seen on the show more than fanon situations. Hopefully this chapter will give you a little break.**

**But please understand that I actually have seen all of TDA by this point, and I have some ideas for The Very Last Episode, Really! and TDDDDI that I have had probably since the first few weeks after I started this project, and I've been trying **_**really hard **_**to get to get there (you have no idea how many times I've given up on story ideas because I had an awesome ending but no middle to get there, and I've been trying so hard not to let that happen here, hence the "filler." ...Okay, that's an exaggeration; I think I've only done it five times, but still).**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Seven: Lost in a Monologue**_

"Dude, I still can't believe it," Geoff guffawed, his breakfast flying from his mouth at Izzy's face. Izzy didn't seem very disgusted about it, though. "Leshawna messed Courtney up?"

"Not really," Noah said, pushing his cereal bowl away, having lost his appetite due to seeing Geoff talk with his mouth full, "but she did get Courtney to stop harassing Harold."

"Still, that's freakin' awesome," Tyler noted, with Lindsay nodding in agreement. I'm not so sure if she knew exactly what she was nodding about, though.

"Guys," Bridgette spoke up, "maybe you should leave Courtney alone."

We looked at her like she was nuts. "Why?"

"Courtney's learned her lesson. She's not going after Harold anymore," Bridgette said. "Harold's finally hanging out with us, so the issue is over with."

"She beat Harold up with a lamp post, if I recall," Noah pointed out.

"Look, I'm not condoning what either of them have done to each other," Bridgette pointed out, "but you have to admit that Courtney was at least a nicer person before all this crap went down."

"It's like she's snapped," Izzy agreed. "Like Harold booting her off was what pushed her over the freakin' edge!"

"Exactly! Besides, think about it... now her anger will be directed towards Chris." She let out a devious smirk. "That's something we all can agree on, right?"

I shrugged. "I guess so." I still wasn't so sure. I mean, like I said, Courtney's been a pain from the get-go. Underestimating my team, bossing everyone around like she owned the game... And who'd have thought that Harold would be the one to grow a pair and get rid of her? Sure, it wasn't legit, and maybe he did deserve a little bit of bad karma, but to be hunted down and beaten up with a lamp post... It just seemed like a little too much.

But if Bridgette can see past that, maybe I can, too.

Unfortunately, by this point, Courtney's opinion of me probably wasn't the greatest.

"Hey, guys!" I smiled as this new person approached, accompanied by Sadie and Katie.

"Harold!" I held up a hand, and he gladly returned a high five. "How's it feel to no longer have to have to hide from Courtney all the time?"

"Feels great!" Harold proudly exclaimed. "I couldn't practice my mad skills in those crawlspaces. Not enough room."

"Well, I'm just glad to have my BMF back!" Sadie squealed as she glomped Harold. "I'd promote you to BMFFL, but I don't know if I'll get to see you when the show's over."

"Do you have a MySpace?"

"Do _you_?"

"...Good point. I've got a Facebook, though." **[1]**

"I can live with that."

I decided to butt in. "But Sadie, I thought _I _was your BMFFL."

"Oh yeeeeah." She pondered for a moment. "I can have more than one, can't I?"

"It's _friendship_, Sadie," Bridgette said, giggling. "Of course you can."

Sadie squealed with delight, clapping her hands. "Yay! Okay, you're BOTH my BMFFLs!" She stood up and stepped behind Harold and me to glomp us both. "EEEEEEE!!"

Geoff laughed. "Don't you just love happy endings?"

Bridgette gave him a funny look. "...I'm not quite sure how that fits here..."

"Well, my ending wasn't all that happy." I looked up and saw Leshawna taking a seat next to Bridgette. "Now, I understand it was an accident and all, but... I still feel kinda cheated, you know?"

"Uh... bad thing to say," Sadie whispered, and I turned for a moment to see Harold slowly sinking in his seat.

"Oh, no, not like that," Leshawna corrected herself. "I just mean that, well, I figured if I did get voted off, I thought it'd be because I did poorly in a challenge or something."

I put in my two cents. "Honestly, I'm more upset that Heather's still on, you know?"

"Sorry," Katie and Sadie spoke simultaneously, downcast.

"Oh, no, no, I wasn't--" I stopped, not entirely sure what to say that could've really helped.

"I think he just means that he's worried about Gwen." Thanks, Bridgette, for saving me. "I've heard, uh... things... from Tyler."

"...Oh, yeah." My breakdown. Thanks again, Bridgette. A little sarcasm thrown in there this time, but thanks again.

What can I say? It wasn't exactly my fondest memory.

"What happened?" Leshawna just had to ask. Oh, great... time to relive this memory.

Katie began to explain it in a way only Katie could. "Okay, so this is, like, how it happened. You remember the trust thing, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I was there."

"Irregardless."

"That's not a word," Harold interrupted, but Katie ignored him.

"After Gwen's skirt got ripped off and she won the round, she said something about Cody, and Cody... kinda lost it." She pointed a finger at her temple and twirled it, basically saying I went "cuckoo." "He just flipped. It was kinda scary."

"Can we please not talk about it?" I whimpered, but unfortunately she still continued.

"I mean, he was just shouting at the TV and crying... Heck, Sadie had to take him out of the room--"

"Katie, please," Sadie whispered loudly, "that's enough."

"Oh, sorry," she whispered back. It was too late, though. My forehead had already found sanctuary on the table.

"Oh, damn," I heard an astonished Leshawna say. "I thought y'all liked her."

"He does," Tyler explained, much to my dismay. "What she said was pretty bad. Something about him wishing he could mast--"

"Tyler, please don't finish that sentence," was my muffled plea from the table top.

"Oh, sorry, dude."

"Whoa." Apparently, Shawny was at a loss. "Sorry to hear about that, hon. You gon' be okay?"

"I would've been just fine if you guys hadn't reminded me of that," I said, my voice still muffled by the table top.

"Sorry, hon. I asked. My bad."

"No, it's not your fault," I said, sitting up. "It's mine. I bottled up my emotions for too long, and BFFT!" I imitated an explosion. Then I fell silent again.

"Hey, you know what you need," Geoff began, smiling at me. "A party! In your honour, dude."

I blinked, a smile slowly forming on my face. "Uh... no thanks, Geoff, I-I couldn't..."

"Nonsense! The Geoffster doesn't know the meaning of the words 'no party.' It'll be fun, dude."

My smile widened a little more, and I finally agreed. "Oh, alright. So when are we having it?"

"Why not now?" He stood up. "Harold, crank it up!"

Harold stood and began to beat-box.

"Homeschool!" Geoff shouted to Ezekiel across the room, who hurried over.

"You called, eh?"

"Drop a beat for our main man Codester here," Geoff requested, and Ezekiel must've noted Harold's beat-boxing, as he attempted to improvise a rap to Harold's beat.

"Uh... yo, yo, yo, Coody's in the hoose, eh. Don't mess aroond 'cuz he's kooky like... a moose, eh." Okay, so he wasn't quite matching Harold's beat, but give him credit for trying. "Uh, he's goot a goofy smile and he's... oom... hanging with the peeps... That's the phrase, right?" Geoff nodded, and Ezekiel continued. "Shoor he sniffed a girl's hair, boot that doon't mean he's a creep, eh. Break it up, uh, yo."

"Down, Zeke," Harold said before continuing his beat-boxing.

"Ooh, okay." Clueless, the boy sat down at the table before "picking up the beat" again. "Doon't feel bad there, Coody, you gotta cheer up fur us, eh. If yer down in the doomps, where dooes that leave us, eh? It's ridiculous, eh. Real superfluous, eh, 'cuz if the happy dude ain't happy, there's... uh... too much sadness... and--"

"That's enough, eh," Bridgette concluded, rolling her eyes.

"...Ooh, that's good, eh," the homeschooled boy beamed as Harold stopped his beat-boxing. "Have you ever thought of becooming a rapper?"

"Uh... no," Bridgette answered, giving him a weird look.

"Oh."

I chuckled, finally out of my slump. "Thanks, guys. I needed that."

"Ooh, no prooblem, eh."

"Yeah, nothing beats my mad beat-boxing skills when it comes to cheering people up," Harold added as he sat back down, earning a giggle from Katie and Sadie.

"Hey, shug?".

I looked up at Leshawna. "Yeah?"

"You ever need anything, you can come to me, a'ight?"

I nodded, smiling. "Right." What did I have to mope for? Why was I upset? These guys... I literally had no idea they even existed eight weeks ago, but... man... I honestly could say I could never have asked for better friends. Even considering people I had known for years.

It's an interesting thought. No matter how much we hate Chris, we owe him so much.

...Yeah, I wouldn't say that in front of the others either.

-X-

Courtney had kept true to her word. She hadn't bothered Harold at all for the rest of our stay at the Playa des Losers. However, she still continued her quest on suing Chris... which is alright with me, to be honest. I was just busting her chops when I said I had just as much reason to sue the show, but was a good enough person to not do anything about it. Oh, if only I knew the consequences of my words...

As you could probably tell through all I've told you about my experiences at the Playa des Losers thus far, Tyler and I had become pretty good friends. Makes sense, I guess. We wannabes have to stick together, right? Hehe...

...

Don't tell Tyler I called him a wannabe...

Anyway, when Tyler and I weren't hanging out, he was often trying to get Lindsay to remember that he was Tyler and not whoever the hell "Taylor" is. Despite his efforts, he wasn't quite as successful at being able to make out with a hot blonde as Geoff was, especially since he and Bridgette jumped at every opportunity they could possibly think of. Oh, man, you wouldn't believe all the places they've made out in--but I digress.

I became pretty good friends with DJ, too. Ah, hell, what am I saying? I became pretty good friends with a lot of the contestants. But DJ was the biggest surprise for me. I never would've expected it. I mean, besides the fact that, aside from Geoff, we're both the furthest thing from grumpy assholes of the group, we didn't have a lot in common. Come to think of it, though, Tyler may have helped with that. He and DJ were pretty good friends too.

But enough about that. How many paragraphs has it been since we've mentioned Gwen? Dammit, she's the second name up there at the top. Isn't she supposed to be a main character? Holy crap, when am I going to get my priorities straight?

Well, let's make up for lost time then. Where do I start? Did I ever mention how much I love her wit? I did? Right, right. Uh... let's see... Well, I've mentioned she's hot/beautiful/sexy/freakin' awesome looking before, but have I ever gone into detail? Do I need to? You've seen her, yes, but have you ever seen her through my eyes? My eyes, which seem to shine a frickin' spotlight on her every time I see her--in person or on the television, it didn't matter. God, where do I begin? Top-down? That'd probably be easiest. Of course, bottom-up would probably be nicer--that way the sweet, sentimental stuff is saved for last. But the problem with that is that you read the perverted stuff first and you think the rest will be the same, so you scroll down and try to find where it ends so you can get on with the story, and then you miss all the sweet stuff. So I'll go top-down. Maybe I can still end on a sweet note.

I could do a whole chapter on her hair, dammit. But I don't want to bore you. Honestly, I'm not even sure if the black colour in her hair is natural--it's probably not. But for some reason I've always had a thing for girls with dyed hair--dyed with colours that were definitely not natural. **[2] **I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it has to do with individuality? Maybe I watch to much anime? Maybe Jeff Hardy had too much influence on me? And if that's the case, would that also explain why I keep getting into dangerous and extremely painful situations? **[3]**

Now let's go to the main attraction: her face. ...Damn. Again, friggin' full chapter, I could do. Those eyes... My God! She could have boobs as big as Lindsay's and I _still_ would (probably) be lost in those eyes, and them alone. I don't think you feel me here; she could make my day perfect just by blinking in slow motion. Her nose? Cutest nose I've ever seen. Damn, if I got to nuzzle her just once, I'd be happy for an entire week. Her lips... first of all, red is nice, but not very original at all. Teal blue, on the other hand... holy crap! And it matches her hair, too. That's just... wow! I just... I can't describe it--I'd never give it justice.

Yeah, I'm going on about lips, for God's sake. You know I'm smitten, damn.

Alright, pervy time. ...Well, maybe not too pervy--heck, I'm not sure I even ever want to see her naked. In fact, the mystery's kind of alluring. What do you guys think? Do you think they're blue-green? ...Yeah, me neither. But that's an interesting thought. **[4]**

Speaking of which... well, maybe I shouldn't go there. Don't want the rating to change to M. ...Oh, what the hell? We've pushed the envelope enough times. **(Love-Pillows)**! DAMMIT, I thought I told those 4Kids people to go away! **[5]**

Anyway, not too big, not too small. Me like. Moving on.

The outfit itself? Badass. I'm not even sure if I could describe how awesome it looks on her, but... damn. Frickin' awesome. The black and blue corset, the green arm warmers, the cleavage... What?

If I absolutely had to choose, though, an area that, in the most perverted parts of my mind, is the best damn asset on the lovely Gwen in terms of sexual attractiveness, it has to be the hips. Dammit, I had never even known I was a hips man eight weeks ago. But damn, she could do some damage if she popped them in her step. And of course that's connected to a hot, round booty (well, from what I can recall from before my breakdown) and some friggin' awesome, long, sexy, thigh-high stocking clad legs (did I mention I'm a perv?) and the longest, most badass-yet-sexiest boots I've ever seen worn by a girl.

Just by something so "trivial" as physical appearance (who am I kidding? "Trivial"? Pfft!), you can kinda get somewhat of an understanding as to why I just can't let _this one girl go!_ This one girl! This one--how many times do I have to repeat it? Eight weeks ago--that's right, only two months--I hadn't even known she existed. And now look at me: pining over a girl I had only been in contact with for, what, three weeks? A girl I had struck out with _on the first day_. And I can't let her go. She's too... perfect.

I'm not retarded. I know that's not true in the context that we're accustomed to. Being perfect means not having faults. Am I to believe that a grumpy goth girl that hit me twice in the groin with an oar has no faults whatsoever? Hell no. And I don't mean it like that, either. I'm talking about my dream girl here. Crap, you heard me that night. Did I st-st-stutter? When I said Gwen was my dream girl, I wasn't kidding. If I were to define the "perfect girl," it would be the girl that had nearly every aspect and amazing attribute that the girl of my dreams even prior to this contest already had. And Gwen fit... no, _fits_ it so well, it... just couldn't possibly be a coincidence. Ergo, she's perfect.

But, of course, I should have known that if something was too good to be true, too perfect to be true, it was. I should've known right away that the perfect girl would not want a guy like me. Who wants a scrawny, geeky little pervert with buckteeth? ...You know, besides fangirls.

Well, on the bright side, at least it was an eye-opening experience for me. In more ways than one, I might add.

You're probably getting sick of my rambling at this point. I never thought you'd actually want to go back to the awfully fragmented style my story is being portrayed in (Who the hell is writing this thing anyway?), but I guess I can understand why after all I just said. But before I go on, please keep in mind that this... is just the tip of the iceberg. I could never give a girl like Gwen justice if I were to describe how amazing she really is. Even in terms of appearance.

The tape regarding our Playa des Losers episode came at last, with Leshawna having the most curiosity of all of us (since she wasn't there, after all). The first thing I noticed was that this tape was, in no way, shape, or form, in chronological order. My biggest hint? Ezekiel certainly wasn't in the hot tub with Geoff and Bridgette at the very beginning--he hadn't gone there until after Courtney ripped the lamp post out of the ground (by the way, HOLY CRAP!!). Also, there was a scene where Courtney was actually holding the lamp post AFTER beating up Harold, though Harold was seen wearing the lamp post in one of the next scenes.

Despite that, I thought it turned out really well, though I really wished I hadn't slept through most of it in the first place. Katie, Sadie, Lindsay, and Noah seemed to be hogging the spotlight most of the time. Oh, by the way...

"Congratulations on getting into _Star Stalker_, Lindsay," I told her during the scene.

"Oh, thanks, Corey!" she said, gleaming. "So what do you think? Should I get my boobs done?"

"They look fine to me," I said genuinely (I swear it was genuine!), but Tyler still gave me a wary look.

The rest of the episode went off without a hitch, I thought. No one really had much to say--most of us have seen each other everyday for quite a while, and some of us were actually awake for most of the episode. I will say this, though: I hated what Courtney did to Harold (as did Leshawna, but she let Courtney live), Noah was funny as hell (I thought so, anyway), I felt pretty bad for Tyler, Lindsay, Ezekiel, and DJ's bunny at some points (I had no idea I actually saved Bunny's life), and I was honestly very happy hearing what Trent said about Gwen, despite Izzy's taunting. Oh, and that's another thing: dammit, Izzy, I forgot all about that incident. You just had to bring that up again, didn't you? ...That was pretty funny, though. Hehe. Did-did-di-di-di-did-did-did-di-di-did...

Of course, the night scene had to come eventually, and Leshawna even commented on what I said about Gwen:

"Aw, Short Stuff, that was so sweet, that almost gave me diabetes."

Good thing I toned it down, eh?

-X-

I know this wasn't all that informative, but really... is there a lot to say about an episode about _us_ where literally all we did was talk? Not really.

Leshawna, however, did find a few things to say after she saw the scene where we accidentally voted her off. But her words weren't directed toward us; just to Chris. Which is good, 'cuz... she said some pretty bad things.

Also, remember when I was coming up with reasons for how the heck DJ and I became friends? You might have--the whole Gwen dedication thing kinda took over after that. Well, I forgot to mention one thing. After the video was over, DJ was thanking me over and over again (to the point where I actually started to get bothered by it after a while) for saving Bunny's life (even though I didn't even know he was in the grill at the time). I think that might have helped, too.

-X-

The next day, we were greeted by... no one.

Hmm... that's weird... Free day again?

...Doubt it.

**-X-**

**[1] Unless someone's RPing as him, don't actually try to find Harold's Facebook page, please.**

**[2] Purple's not a natural hair color, is it, Sierra?**

**[3] Another professional wrestling reference. Jeff Hardy is a daredevil from the WWE, known for his "high-flying" style of attacking and grappling. He often dyes his hair in eccentric colors, and sometimes wears face paint (because of these things, he's often referred to as the "Rainbow-Haired Warrior"). Being one of the "high-flying" professional wrestlers, and being a guy that likes to put on a show for the fans, he often ends up putting himself in great bodily harm (whether or not half of the injuries are even real, I'm not sure, but damn, do they look painful).**

**[4] A reference to Kobold Necromancer's **_**Love Ain't Easy, It's Ezzy**_**. And apparently **_**they**_** are a pale peach.**

**[5] Who here actually remembered this joke from chapter three? ...Okay, technically chapter two, but it would be the third option from the drop menu.**

**-X-**

**Yeah, I said I'd "compromise." But a chapter without mentioning Gwen? Pfft. Like I was gonna do that. XD**

**I wouldn't expect another recap that short ever again, but I admit I do have to work on the length of recaps a little bit. I gotta make those things shorter or something. Or at least add more original material to them like I used to do. Maybe I've lost my luster? Or however you want to put that...**


	49. They're All Washed Up

**Wow, guys, gals, seriously, thank you very much. I mean, when I started this project I wasn't expecting it to be all that great, despite it being a humongous project and all (compared to my other stuff, anyway). In fact, I was extremely worried that by the time I got to the Playa des Losers chapters I would have jumped the shark and this story would've ended up keeling over, so to speak. And I was dead wrong.**

**Who would have thought a story where the main character is in a wheelchair for nearly half the time, and where half of what happens in it was thought up on the spot, could have such great reviews? XD**

**But seriously, thank you so much, readers and reviewers alike. :D I really appreciate all the nice comments, and I hope I don't let you guys down in the future. XD Also, before I forget, a special thank you to insubordinance on TV Tropes for recommending **_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister.**_** (By the way, I love the spoiler setting thing. "Pairings: all canon couples, including onesided Cody/Gwen and ___" Hmm... I wonder what's there... XD)**

**Before I continue with the story, there was a little confusion I saw in one of the reviews, so I just want to explain a few things about the last chapter hopefully to clear up any confusion anyone may have.**

**Think of this story like a movie where the main character in the future is talking about his past. The whole past is really a flashback, considering the voice over would take place in the future. You get the words from the narrator as well as all the "current events" of the flashback, including thoughts and spoken word. I also am aware of the fact that the story is very... fragmented, I believe is the term (I hope so because it's the term I've been using XD). Plots are often jumbled up, and I apologize for any of the confusion there, too. That's just the way this story's written.**

**Also, this is still a flashback of sorts--when Cody said that this was written, it was a classic case of fourth-wall breaking (he was referring to me XD). So yeah, hopefully that cleared up any confusion you guys have. Okay, I'll shut up now. Enjoy the chapter! :D**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Eight: They're All Washed Up**_

Have you ever had really conflicting thoughts? Let me explain. As of this point in the contest, a part of me really wanted to see Gwen at the Playa des Losers, to make up for lost time. Another part of me, however, wanted her to make it to the end and win the whole thing. No one left in the contest, in my mind, deserved the money more than her.

I would lie back on my bed every night at the Playa des Losers, in that last week, hold up the unmentionable piece of dark, smooth cloth in the air, stare at it for about five minutes, and then wonder if it really was worth asking for. A souvenir? Really? Wouldn't you think I'd rather forget about her and move on? It didn't matter anymore. What was done was done, and I could only hope that she could even possibly consider me a good friend. Geoff, Trent, and some of the others tried to tell me that she missed me, but I had a hard time believing them. It was one of those things that I'd have to hear from Gwen, and not the others.

After reading everything you have read, I hope that, no matter how you view me as a person, and how much this conflicts with how you view me as a person, you still take some of this by heart. I know it's hard to fathom the idea that someone that seems so happy really isn't all that happy at all. But let's face it... this can't be that surprising, can it? I've already lied to myself about being cool, and actually believed it. You knew this before you even started reading this fic. So how can it be so surprising that I'd lie about being happy all the time? How can it be surprising that I really haven't gotten over Gwen? When I smile, is it always genuine? Don't you throw on a fake smile every once in a while as well?

This is not, however, to say that I'm never happy. That's absolutely not the case. You've seen me happy. Hell, you've seen _Gwen_ happy. But then again, anyone who has ever said that a goth couldn't be happy has never met an actual goth. Likewise, don't expect me to be all happy and giddy every time you see me either.

Before I start digressing to a point where you'll want to punch yourself in the face, let's get back to fragmented hell. Not that I'm saying my life story absolutely sucks, no, it's just the fragmentation that's hell.

The mystery of the "no-show" became clear by the next day. Chris either had given the campers a day off--bull crap, he did that three days before--or there was some sort of prize challenge. Or, something else happened that we didn't have an explanation for.

Ezekiel continued to work with Harold's beat-boxing, trying to get his rap skills down. He didn't get too much better, though.

Leshawna was still pissed at Chris, but she had cooled down for the most part. Harold was following her around every so often, but I saw a look in Leshawna's eyes... For some reason, I don't think she was too happy about her gawky companion following her around.

Bridgette and Geoff? Still making out. A lot. (Honestly, it made me jealous.)

Courtney? Still hates me. I wasn't expecting that to change, either. But at least she's off Harold's back.

-X-

Eventually, our answer to why no one had appeared at the Playa des Losers that one night had finally come in the form of a rough cut in a videotape, like always. Once everyone had gathered in the viewing room, Trent popped in the tape.

It was a dark and stormy night at Camp Wawanakwa... hehe. Okay, I shouldn't laugh. I felt bad for the four campers... okay, three. I had no sympathy for Heather.

And apparently neither did Leshawna, especially when Heather rubbed it in to Gwen that the ghetto girl was gone. "Ooh, if I was still there..."

"Sorry," Katie and Sadie sadly chorused.

"Girls, it ain't yo' fault. It's that narcissistic Jeff Probst wannabe's fault."

Overnight, the campgrounds had flooded, and the water took the cabins with it, as well as the Confession Can. So now, the campers were adrift at lake, and Chris apparently did not care if they drowned.

Noah had some pretty snide comments about Gwen when she asked where the water came from. "Are you _serious?_ Isn't it obvious you're in the friggin' lake?!"

"Dude," I glared at him, "let it go. She just woke up."

"Yeah," Izzy agreed. "Need I remind you of how much you seemed to enjoy kissing--"

"No," was Noah's quick reply. I chuckled at how quick he dropped the subject after the tables were turned on him.

"Hey, where's Owen?" Trent asked, confused.

As it turns out, the big man, who was in the Confession Can all night... was still in the damn outhouse.

"He was still confessing stuff?" Geoff asked with a chuckle. "I didn't even know he was capable of doing anything bad."

The cabins ended up "shipwrecked" on a shore. Relieved, Trent said, "Good; I was worried about them for a moment there. I mean, no one came here this week, you know?"

"Yes, Trent," Noah muttered, "we know. We were _**here**_ all week, if I recall."

"Seriously, doesn't Chris even care that they're missing?" Bridgette asked, horrified.

"Wait... Chef can _**cook?!"**_ Beth asked, equally as horrified.

"Whoa!" Bridgette gasped. "That's crazy!"

Onscreen, Gwen and Duncan began to argue about what they should do. Gwen, believing the producers had left them to die, said they should build a raft and try to find civilization. Duncan, on the other hand, believed that the producers would look for them, and that they should stay put.

"Well, what do you guys think?" Geoff asked.

I gave it some thought. "Well... since the producers aren't coming," as Chris had said so himself in a confession, "I'd say building a raft is the best bet."

Courtney scoffed at me. "You're just taking her side. Besides, if you were there, you wouldn't know they're not coming."

"...So you're taking Duncan's side, huh Court?" Trent inquired.

"Only because it's logical."

"Riiiiiight."

The outhouse eventually reached land too, but Owen hadn't left it for ten seconds before bolting back to the outhouse for sanctuary.

"What's a T-Rex skull doing there?" Harold pondered.

"A prop, maybe?" Noah suggested.

Eventually, Owen would have the guts to leave the Confession Can in order to drink some coconut milk and... uh... befriend one of them.

"Owen, the true castaway," Noah pointed out.

Meanwhile, Heather, who had been just as spooked by a skeleton prop in a tree hut she found, as well as (we assumed) the same T-Rex skull Owen had found earlier, started to realize that the props were fake. Despite this, Gwen and Duncan continued to argue about what they should do--build a raft or stay put.

Harold spoke up during this time. "I suddenly have the urge to play one of the Lost in Blue games." **[1]**

Gwen, Duncan, and Heather ultimately split up. Meanwhile, Owen somehow grew a full beard in minutes and had clearly gone insane.

"Behold, a true oddity!" Noah announced. "A man who can grow facial hair at will!"

In another area, Duncan began to literally attack a bunch of bananas with a knife. Noah's cynical comments continued: "Hello, Marshall Mathers." **[2]**

His meal almost prepared, Duncan found a large egg. Apparently, it belonged to a "pterodactyl." Which, honestly, scared me a little bit. "Uh..." I began, "what movie are they supposed to be ripping off here?"

"All of them," Noah simply replied.

As disputes continued among Duncan, Gwen, and Heather, the two "adults" apparently still seemed to forget their roles as supervisors. One look at the real food placed in front of Chris McLean, and I glared at the television screen. "Hosers."

"Hosers, nothing. They're dickweeds, eh," Ezekiel added.

Duncan eventually traded his egg with Gwen to go on her raft after she constructed it (okay, seriously... she can build a stable raft all by herself... Is there no limit to her awesomeness?), which horrified Heather as she didn't want to be alone.

"...Hmm..."

I turned to Harold. "What?"

"Is it just me, or does Heather seem to be afraid of isolation?" Harold asked.

"Who cares?" Tyler scoffed.

"Yeah," Trent agreed with Tyler, "she's awful, man. Let her get some of that karma handed back to her."

"True, she had done awful things," Harold said, "but don't you think there may be a reason why she's so mean?"

"No reason I care about," Eva grumbled.

Hoping to change the subject, and considering the fact that Chris was onscreen, I asked, "Seriously, doesn't Chris care at all?"

Noah stated matter-of-factly, "No."

Gwen and Duncan were shown next on the raft, Gwen doing all the paddling.

"You paddle like a girl," Duncan said, which caused our good ol' Ezekiel to clear his throat angrily.

"Yeah, yeah, Homeschool," Eva said, rolling her eyes, "we get it. Our bad."

Once they ended up back on shore, Duncan ran off with the egg.

"Oh, come on, dude," I said, appalled. "She's hungry, man--WHOA, CRAP!!"

Trent was also appalled. "Oh, and NOW he wants her to keep the egg? Jerk!"

Despite his attempt to get rid of the egg, Duncan decided to make a run for it anyway (I guess he was hungry) and quickly got snagged by the pterodactyl. Gwen attempted to save Duncan, but ended up hanging in the air from a rope she hooked around the pterodactyl's leg.

"Holy crap!" I cried out, as Trent called out to Gwen as well. Forgive us for, in just that moment, thinking that they could actually hear us through the screen. And don't tell me you've never shouted at the television like that before.

Meanwhile, onscreen, Owen had scared the daylights out of Heather, who proceeded in throwing his food at him.

"Oh, the irony," Noah joked.

"...Wait, that beard's not fake?" Katie asked after Heather tugged at Owen's beard.

"Then how--?" Sadie began before Ezekiel answered for her.

"Magic, eh."

"You have learned well, Ezekiel," Noah said with a smirk.

Just then, Gwen and Duncan had fallen, landing in front of Owen and Heather.

"Ouch," I winced.

"The irony keeps piling up," Noah added.

As if the campers hadn't suffered enough, a large snake suddenly appeared, scaring the four up to the tree hut.

"Chris better start caring soon," I muttered, disturbed by Chris's apathy.

"I think he almost did," Trent said, noting Chris's "dedication", as Chef called it.

""Hey, look, Izzy," Noah pointed out. "Two guys hugging. No jokes for Chris and Chef?"

"Oh, please," Izzy said, waving her hand. "Everyone knows they're gay for each other."

"They are?" Zeke asked.

"They are?" Lindsay asked.

"They are?" Leshawna asked.

"...Okay, maybe not _everyone," _Izzy admitted.

The four campers, being stuck in the tree hut, try to bond. Heather cracked first.

"She thinks _**they're**_ insane?" Noah asked, shaking his head.

"Well, Owen might be," I admitted. "And Duncan after that whole banana killer thing."

"I agree with you on Owen," DJ added. "Seriously, how did he grow a beard so fast?"

Owen suggested that the others confess their sins in case they die.

"Oh, this ought to be fun," Noah sat back and folding his arms. "Let's hear what these guys have done."

"...Oh, alright. I'll go first," Heather walked to the other side of the room. "But you two _have_ to do it, too. Or I'll sic Owen on you."

"But I don't, uh..." he looked rather nervous, "really like you."

"I'll eat all your food if you don't."

"Okay, okay." He turned to Gwen and Duncan. "So, yeah, you guys are going to confess stuff, too, then. I don't mind if it's just one thing or a bunch of stuff... but I think it'll be good for our spirits, you know? To bond with our fellow human beings."

A clip from a confession by Chris quickly came up. "Out of respect for our final campers, the campers' sins will not be known to the rest of the viewing world. However... I thought it'd still be fun for you guys at the Playa des Losers to know... at least the juiciest stuff these guys said." With a chuckle, his face disappeared, and we went back to the campers.

"I feel kinda bad, eh," Ezekiel said, standing up, and Trent paused the tape. "They're confidin' in each other, eh. I doon't think this was a nice thing to do, even if the rest of the woorld dooesn't see it."

"Well, some of us are interested," Noah told him, but Ezekiel held his ground.

"Well, I doon't wanna see it, eh. Tell me when it's doone." With that, he left the room, as did DJ, Bridgette, Katie, and Sadie, who apparently also weren't interested in hearing the campers' confession.

_**(NOTE: Some of you voted against me typing out the sins. Though it was a low number of you, I will respect your wishes with this note. If you don't want to read the sins that I came up with (well, some of it is inspired by already canon information of the three--Heather's unpopular early years, Gwen's single-parent home, and Duncan's crimes his parents mention, specificially), skip ahead to the next bolded note similar to this one. Hopefully you can find it alright. Also, sorry if these sins kinda suck, but hey--you asked for them)**_

"When I was in middle school," Heather recalled, sitting on a stool on the other side of the room, "I wasn't the popularity queen you see before you. I was..." she drifted off, darting her eyes around, as if hesitant to say what she wanted to say. What she did utter out may not have been what she originally meant, but it still surprised the trio in the hut: "Unpopular."

"Why's that?" Duncan asked, sitting on a stool next to the bunk Gwen was lying on. "What, were you ugly or something?" he joked, but Heather didn't answer him. Instead, she continued.

"To say I've sold my soul is an understatement," she admitted. "I did whatever I could to become popular, and I managed to do just that after knocking my school's former queen bee off her high horse. I made up some pretty bad rumours about her love life, that she slept around with multiple guys at one time and had a pregnancy scare, and the best part was... a lot of it turned out to be true!" She giggled cold-heartedly. "Oh, sure, I may have lost some friends during that whole ordeal--something about trust issues or whatever--but that doesn't matter because I made it to the top, and they didn't." She held a smug look on her face. "As for the former queen, I heard she moved away because of what happened."

"And you're happy about that because...?" Gwen asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Because..." Her eyes darted around a little. "...Uh... I... I'm at the top?"

"...Whatever." She groaned, and took a deep breath.

Chris appeared again in the confessional at that moment. "You think that's juicy? Check this out."

Gwen reappeared on the screen, now looking a bit nervous herself. "When my brother and I were just little kids, not even old enough to know anything about what a divorce was or even how the judicial system worked, my dad just walked out on us, just like that."

Oh, man...

"I basically had to be like a second parent to my bro, which was hard on the both of us. People would make fun of us because we didn't have a dad, and we would end up in fights. And, well, one of them went too far.

"It was Freshman year, and it involved this jock that was in my class. He sorta... had this thing for freaky girls." She rubbed her arm nervously. "And he started hitting on me. I told him to step off, but he wouldn't. And he tried to grab me... and I kicked him in the crotch and ran. And I thought that was it... but no.

"My brother found out about this, and he skipped one of his classes one day to come to my high school and kick the crap out of this kid, but he didn't know the guy was, like, three times his size. They got into a fight, and my brother got hurt really bad. And I kinda snapped. I took one of my pencils and stabbed him in the arm."

"Whoa, serious?" Duncan asked, looking at her with wide eyes.

I could only imagine mine were just as wide.

"Then I slammed his head into a locker and beat the living hell out of him." She closed her eyes, wincing a little. "With a fire extinguisher."

"Jesus Christ!" Duncan muttered. "Hard-frickin'-core."

"His injuries weren't fatal, thank God," she recalled. "I would not have wanted to go to prison after all that. I did get some charges against me, but I think the judge had some sort of sympathy for me after hearing about what the guy did to me and my brother, as well as my... living situation. I just ended up with about a month in juvie and God knows how many hours of community service." She sighed. "I know he was a creep, but... I didn't mean to snap like that. I didn't want to kill anyone, either."

...Damn...

I... I had no idea...

My eyes began to water as I watched the screen. Despite all the painful situations she was in throughout the contest, I had never been more concerned about her well-being.

...Wait...

'You're not sorry, Cody. Guys like you never are.'

Could... C-Could that be what she was talking about?

Before I could think about it any more, Duncan spoke up.

"Damn. I wish I could top that."

...You'd really want to t...

I really don't understand that guy.

"I don't know how Gwen got off so easily, but... I guess I can't complain," Duncan said with a smirk. "My parole officer's a pretty cool guy, and I'm used to being locked up. As you can imagine, I caught a bunch of stares from the system when I did some petty thefts, gradually working my way up from clothes to videogames to," he chuckled, "my father's hairpieces." He shook his head as he laughed. "I sold 'em as pets. I swear, the things were alive. I also did a few other stunts... like during New Year's--or should I say, 'Nude Year's.' Ah, that was fun." He shook his head again, smiling. "Theft, public indecency, and unauthorized use of the City Hall fountain... Good times." Then, he frowned. "The big one, though, I asked my parole officer not to tell my parents. Not that I care about what _my dad _thinks, but... the last thing I want is my mom to know my biggest charge, since she'd probably blame herself for it." His eyes began to dart around the floor. "Some guy made some dirty remarks about her, and I kicked his ass. Bad. It wasn't a fire extinguisher to the head, but..." he paused, "...the guy was on crutches for a while."

_**(NOTE: Those of you who didn't want to see the sins, you can start reading here. Hopefully you found this note okay; I realize it's pretty short)**_

"Whoa!" Gwen sat up. "So _that's_ what you went to juvie hall for."

"Yeah," Duncan said, before glaring at Heather--apparently he didn't like how her particular action had no provocation whatsoever, "but at least it's not as bad as what Heather did."

"I admit it was a little unorthodox," she said, before she glared at Gwen, "but it doesn't come close to what Gwen did, if that's even your real name."

Gwen's eyes met the floor, ashamed.

"I don't care what she did," Trent spoke up. "I still love her."

"Yeah," I agreed, not quite thinking that through. Once I did, though, "I-I mean, good for you, buddy. Unconditional love, that's the way to go."

"Even after what she did, you two _still _like her?" Courtney asked us. "Are you crazy? She's insane!"

"You still like Duncan," Harold pointed out.

"...Would you like to wear another lamp post, Har--?"

"Courtney," Leshawna mumbled sternly.

"...Right. Sorry, Harold."

"Just remember," the gawky teen told the CIT, "it's really Chris you want to dress in that lamp post."

"...Yeah, true..."

"Hey, guys!" I shouted out to the people who left. "You can come back in now!"

By this time, Owen had seen smoke out in the woods. He quickly came up with a plan to scare these other supposed head hunters by becoming head hunters themselves.

"...I highly doubt there are any goth or punk head hunters," DJ said as he sat down.

"At least on deserted islands," Harold added.

"I'd still be freaked out if a goth and a punk charged at me with plungers," Bridgette admitted, giggling.

"...Gee, Owen, you couldn't have done that earlier?" Noah asked, annoyed just like the campers sans Owen onscreen were when he knocked out the snake with his coconut companion.

And the "head hunters" were off, heading toward where the smoke came from. And, of course, they ran into...

"Chris," Trent mumbled. "Of course."

"Well," Harold spoke up, "at least they learned a valuable lesson."

I looked at him inquisitively. "What's that?"

He chuckled. "They would suck playing Lost in Blue."

-X-

"I can't believe they left them out there in the rain," Bridgette said, shaking her head.

It was dinner time at the Playa des Losers, yet again. In a rather "ironic twist", Chris had eliminated Mr. Coconut from the competition. Oh, if he only knew how much controversy eliminating an inanimate object from the competition would cause. **[3]**

"I believe it," Noah said, rolling his eyes. "It's Chris. Keep that in mind."

"Chyea, but no one is that heartless," Geoff reasoned.

"...It's Chris," Noah repeated.

Suddenly, I heard a gasp. Several of us looked around to see what was up when...

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Harold mumbled, sinking in his seat.

"DUNCAN!!" Courtney, whom I assume was the one who gasped in the first place, ran over to welcome him with a big-ass glomp. Though that was quickly dissolved into burning anger as she kneed him in the stomach (I know, shocking that she didn't aim lower, right?). "What the heck?! You were supposed to win this and share the money with me!"

"Oh, like I'd share the money with you, darling," Duncan wheezed as he tried to recuperate from being kneed in the gut. "It's all Owen's fault, anyway. Long story." Then he smirked at her. "Not that I mind. I was starting to miss that nice, hot ass."

I could only imagine Courtney was seeing double. "You perverted ogre!" She stomped away, making Duncan the victor in more ways than one. And by that I mean her stomping away gave him plenty of aforementioned "nice, hot ass" to stare at.

"She digs me," he said simply, making a "camera lens" with his index fingers and thumbs, no doubt focused on said ass.

Once Courtney was finally out of the room, Duncan seemed to finally snap back to reality. He turned to our table in particular. Now let me list off who exactly is sitting at our table, and maybe you'll see why this is an issue: Noah, Harold, Ezekiel, Geoff, Katie, Sadie, Bridgette, Beth... and me.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun..." Duncan said, pounding a fist into his hand.

Geoff spoke up. "Hey, you don't think he's still mad at me for not voting with the others, right?"

Noah groaned. "Oh, I don't think you have to worry about him as much as we do."

**-X-**

**[1] Lost in Blue is a not-very-popular videogame series by Konami. The overall object of the game is to help people who are stranded on an island to survive and hopefully find a way off the island. Personally, I've only played Lost in Blue 3 (and have even written a oneshot fanfic of it if anyone is interested in reading it--OH WOW, SHAMELESS ADVERTISING!!). It's actually a pretty cool game.**

**[2] Marshall Mathers is the real name of rapper Eminem.**

**[3] A reference to the whole "Should Mr. Coconut be counted as a contestant?" debate.**

**-X-**

**Oh, my! What will happen now that Duncan's at the Playa? Will we actually have more material than just an episode recap for once? XD Find out next time!**


	50. Doomsday in Loserville

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Forty-Nine: Doomsday in Loserville**_

"Aw, what's the matter, dweebs?" Duncan asked, cracking his knuckles as he walked to our table. I slowly ducked down, trying to hide. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I wish I did," Harold admitted.

"Oh, really?" he asked, walking over to Harold. He quickly got him in a headlock and gave him a noogie.

"Leave him alone, Duncan," Bridgette scolded.

"Yeah!" Sadie and Katie chorused.

"Just because he got your girl kicked off doesn't mean--"

We all stared at Geoff like he grew a second head.

"You WHAT?!" He glared at Harold, who looked like he was a deer staring into headlights. "You little..."

"Hey!" Leshawna shouted from the other side of the room. She stomped over to the punk, who looked like he was about to imbed Harold's glasses into his face with his fist. "You leave him alone, Duncan!"

"Shawny! Long time no see," he said, smirking at her. "Losin' weight?"

"Y'all better watch yo' mouth, boy! Now leave poor Harold alone!" She held up a fist, and Duncan reluctantly let the gawky teen go.

"This isn't over, geek," Duncan said cryptically. "Not by a long shot." As he walked away from Harold, in my direction, he slapped Noah upside the head for no real reason and pulled me up to a normal seating position by my shirt collars. "You dweebs wouldn't last in juvenile hall, I swear."

As soon as I was sure he had left, I let out a sigh of relief... and then a shriek of terror when I suddenly saw a knife come down and imbed itself in the table right in front of me.

"Yeah, you definitely wouldn't last, dweeb," Duncan said, pulling his knife back out. This time, he actually did leave.

"I really don't like that guy," Bridgette admitted sourly, eyes narrowed more than usual.

"Dude's still my friend," Geoff reminded her, and she sighed.

"I know, but I really don't like that he harasses Harold like that. Why can't he be nice more often?"

"That guy's got some nerve," I said. "I can't last in ju--I got mauled by a friggin' bear!"

"Yeah! Cody got mauled by a friggin' bear!" Beth repeated.

"Let's see _him_ live through a bear mauling," Harold muttered. "I've only had a week of freedom. I don't want to have to go back to hiding again."

"No one's hiding," I said. "Duncan's tough, but I doubt he can take us all on if we stick together."

"He's a criminal. With a knife."

"...Okay, you've got a point."

"Just try to avoid him, guys," Bridgette told us. "I think he was pissed 'cause he just found out Harold cheated Courtney off."

"Can we please stop bringing that up?" Harold asked, hiding his face behind his hands.

"Oh, you guys will be fine," Geoff waved off the subject. "Just chill. He won't do anything..."

-X-

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Oh, I guess he really did do something."

With concern, Geoff and I looked at Noah, who was fuming as he removed the picture from the wall. "That son of a--"

"Noah, calm down!" I pleaded.

"NO! H-How can you be okay with this?" He shoved the picture in my face. "This--this is ALL OVER THE FRICKING RESORT!!"

I grabbed the picture out of his hands, almost getting semi-stuck to the tape on the back. "So Duncan found a snapshot of you kissing my ear during the Awake-a-thon and put it up everywhere. Whoop-de-freaking-do! Shouldn't you be more concerned with how he obtained it?"

"...Okay, how the hell did he obtain it?" Noah asked, concerned.

"Simple," the culprit said, walking past us. "I used Courtney's PDA, went online, found a snapshot, had it printed and copied in the library, and voila."

"...Wait, this is ALL OVER THE INTERNET?!" Noah began to panic.

"Uh, dude, did you really think Chris wasn't going to air that?" I asked him. "Fangirls eat this stuff right up."

"AND YOU'RE OKAY WITH THIS?!"

"Of course I am. I know I'm not gay."

"...And what are you implying?"

"...Well, I have no idea if you are or not--"

_"I'm not gay."_

"Alright, alright." I had my hands up--the guy looked pretty ticked. "Just saying, man. I don't know."

"I told you I had a crush on a girl once, didn't I?"

"Once?"

"Uh, yeah. Gwen, remember?"

"...Oh. ...Once?" I repeated.

Noah shrugged. "I'm already sarcastic, witty, and irritated enough. I don't need to date a stunt double."

"Not that she's interested in you anyway," I said with a wink.

"She's not interested in you, either."

"Touché."

"So, are you going to help me remove these pictures or not?"

I shrugged. "Eh, I got nothing better to do. Alright."

"ATTENTION, LOSERS!"

"Ah, crap!" Noah shouted, only having removed a few of the pictures.

"Nice decorations you got here," Chris said with a smile, complimenting Duncan's work. "I'd prefer if it were two girls, but... I have to admit that wouldn't be as funny."

"You shut up!" Noah growled at the host. I just chuckled.

"It's nice to see Cody still has a sense of humour." He cleared his throat. "Alright, I need you three to get everybody. It's hard to get everyone's attention in the entire resort without a PA system."

"Don't you have a megaphone?" I asked.

"...You're right." He pulled out a megaphone from seemingly nowhere. "LOSERS!! ATTENTION LOSERS!! REPORT TO THE MAIN HALL NOW!!"

-X-

Once everyone was here, Chris spoke up. "As you all know, there are three campers left in the game. One of which is someone I think we all agree deserves to suffer a little, am I right?"

"Oh, yes," Leshawna agreed.

"No doubt," Beth added.

"Who are we talking about again?" Lindsay asked.

"Here's what I want you all to do," Chris said, lifting up another empty Kleenex box. "We're doing this again, but this time it's not to vote someone back onto the island. I want you all to come up with five punishments for Heather. Please put your name at the top of each ballot so I know who came up with what punishments."

"Why do you need our names?" I asked.

"What's the catch?" Justin added.

"No catch," Chris said, still smiling. We had a hard time telling if he was lying, but he probably was. "Just please put your name at the top of each ballot and five punishments you want Heather to go through."

"OH, I get it!" Lindsay said, smiling wide. "Is it going to be, like, taking our names from a hat and whoever's name gets drawn, she has to do their punishments?"

"Uh... something like that, yeah."

"EEEEE!! I love improv shows!" She clapped excitedly.

"That's the spirit!" Chris cheered. "One last hoorah! You guys get the last laugh after all she's done to you! What do you say?" He held out the box, an evil smirk on his face.

"I'm in," Duncan said, grinning dastardly.

"Sho am I," Beth declared.

"Pfft, I hope he doesn't pull up your name," Duncan scoffed. "What kind of punishments could _you_ come up with?"

"For Heather?" A shadow seemed to loom over her face. "Very dark, shinishter onesh..." she said ominously.

Duncan blinked a few times, a little weirded out by this. "Okay. Here's to hoping we never cross paths again after this season's over."

-X-

I had a hard time thinking of the five punishments for Heather. I also couldn't help but shake the feeling that Chris wasn't telling us the whole truth, like last time.

But I still had no idea what it was, and I figured that if Lindsay was right and it was a "draw a name from a hat" type thing, the chances of my name being pulled out were slim, so I decided to be a little nicer with my punishments (at least compared to some of the ones I heard from the others). I felt that as long as they were humiliating, they didn't have to be extremely dangerous.

I looked over my list to make sure I was okay with it: "Streak across the campgrounds, drop a tray of ice into your underwear and let them melt, eat dog food, hit yourself in the face multiple times, and drink a whole gallon of stew prepared by Chef." Yep. Sounds good to me.

Unlike last time, Chris went through the ballots right away after we gave them to him... which made me wonder why we even needed a ballot box to begin with. "Alright, here's the deal. I'm going to look through all the punishments and see if there are any repeats. If there are, sorry, but I'm not using them." He went to one of the tables and went to work, a marker in his hand. We saw him cross out a bunch of punishments, but we didn't get to see what exactly. He didn't mention any of them... except for one. "Dudes, you guys are perverts or something. Six people voted for her to streak." Damn. "But I gotta say, there's a lot of original stuff here. I'm surprised and, dare I say, proud of you losers." Somehow, that didn't feel very warm and fuzzy. He put the ballots back in the box. "See you guys at the finale!" he said as he left the resort.

"...Okay, who are the dead guys that voted for her to streak?" Duncan asked, ticked. "You know that's my department."

"Hey!" an annoyed Courtney shouted, but no one really cared.

"Well?" Duncan asked again, and reluctantly I raised my hand, as did Harold, Geoff (much to Bridgette's dismay), and... Izzy?

"Hey, what can I say?" the redhead asked. "It'd be funny."

"...Wait, Chris said there was six," Duncan said, doing the math. "Who didn't raise their hand?"

"...Oom, what does 'streak' mean, eh?" Ezekiel asked.

"Run around naked," Harold told him.

"...Oh. Yeah, that was me. I thought it'd be funny, too, eh."

"Looks like you're dead, too, Homeschool!" Duncan said, fist landing in palm.

"DUNCAN!" Courtney shouted, finally getting the attention of the punk. "We are going to have a very long talk." She pulled him by a pierced ear and dragged him out of the room, him whining about not being able to kill us on the way out.

-X-

Whatever Courtney did to Duncan must have had some sort of effect. Aside from the usual prank, I'm happy to say that neither of us were killed. Seriously, though... I think he would have done it if she didn't stop him.

I was a victim at least once or twice. Just wedgies, though. Painful, yes, but I still considered myself lucky compared to Noah and Harold. Why? Say, for example, when someone puts chunky peanut butter in your underwear and steals your pants, and you have to walk around in your underwear... guess what some people's first reactions would be.

It took one Leshawna to put an end to it. "Leave the boys alone, Duncan!" she shouted, a menacing finger pointed up at Duncan's face.

"And what are you going to do about it, Shawny?" he asked, mockingly.

She kneed him in the groin. He fell over.

"There's plenty more where that came from, honey!" she said. "Now leave them alone!"

"Alright, alright!" Duncan wheezed, but he quickly got angry. "But you can't protect them forever."

"The hell I can't!"

Duncan slowly got up, stumbled a little, and walked away, fuming. I still had a feeling he wasn't quite through with all of us yet.

-X-

Chris appeared again the next night, holding up another videotape. "Alright, dudes. Here's Duncan's elimination. Now, I gotta be back at Wawanakwa soon and prepare for the next challenge." He snickered. "It's going to be fun, I tell ya." Fun was never a good thing in Chris's world, except to Chris himself. But only if it was happening to other people.

Apparently, after the flood, the campgrounds had been restored--even all of the campers' belongings were still in the cabins. Lucky them, right?

But the quote-unquote "fun" wasn't over. As of the start of the episode, somehow someone was able to bring the campers' bunks into the clearing. Whoever the hell was able to carry a bunk with Owen on it, let alone Owen and Duncan, deserves a pat on the back.

Once the campers woke up, their fear was apparent. How the hell did they get there? Even we don't know.

Helicopters appeared, and Chef appeared on one of their ladders. Gwen asked about Chris's whereabouts.

"You actually care where he went?" I pondered.

"Better him than Chef," Duncan muttered. I'm surprised he even wanted to be in here, and even more surprised that he was behaving. Perhaps Leshawna or Courtney had something to do with it?

Onscreen, Chef revealed the challenge: get out of the woods alive. He threw them two duffel bags and split them up boys against girls.

"Surprised us boys lost, Homeschool?" Duncan asked with a smirk, apparently not forgetting that first night.

"Noo, I learned my lesson, eh."

"Somehow, I highly doubt it. Nice look, by the way. Suits you." He started a fake cough, mixing the word "loser" into it at some point. Oblivious to this, Ezekiel thanked him.

Duncan feigned absolute fear for reasons unknown at the time, after Chef revealed he owned night-vision goggles. Not caring, Chef left via helicopter ladder. The helicopters also took away the bunks, leaving the four campers on their own to start their trek.

"Oh, man. I hope Gwen makes it out alright," Trent said, worried.

"Uh, dude? I'm here," Duncan reminded him. "I think it's pretty safe to say she makes it back."

Onscreen, Owen realized that he and Duncan don't have any food. He freaked out. No surprise there.

Duncan revealed he had stolen Chef's night-vision goggles when he feigned fear. Again, no surprise there.

"You'd think I would've earned some respect from Chef if I could steal a pair of night-vision goggles from him," Duncan said.

Courtney disagreed. "I don't see how that's logical."

Gwen and Heather use a compass to make their way north. They started talking about this whole Sasquatchinakwa story Chef imbedded into their heads; they believed it was a myth.

"What do you mean Sasquatchinakwa's a myth?" Eva asked, a little ticked. "I had to beat him up for one of my challenges!"

"Yeah, well, we never saw him in person, remember?" Duncan said. "At least I don't think we did. I'm pretty sure I would've remembered if we did."

"But you were there when I did the challenge!"

"You were in a crate," he reminded her. "For all we knew, you were beating up a gorilla."

"A purple gorilla?" Eva asked, annoyed.

"Grape Ape was purple," Harold said.

"See?" Duncan smirked. "There you go."

Eva just groaned.

Meanwhile, with the girls, mosquitoes began to attack Heather.

"One of the perks of being pale, I bet," Duncan said, still smirking. "Blood-suckers like those think you don't have enough of it."

"Either that or else they hate Heather as much as we do," I said.

"Hey, I don't like her either," Courtney spoke up, "but hate's a strong word, and--"

"But you hate me," Harold interrupted.

"Of course I do! CHEATER!!"

"Ooh, I didn't knoow Chef could speak French, eh," Ezekiel said, finally getting everyone's attentions back on the video.

Owen and Duncan climbed a cliff. After reaching the top, Duncan used his binoculars and saw the girls going in another direction. Being the bully that he is, he took advantage of this.

"Typical chicks with zero sense of direction!" Duncan shouted to the girls. "Here's a pointer: try checking the map!"

"Uw, we would if we had one," Gwen shouted back up, "but this compass tells us that's north. You know, like where Chef said the camp is?"

Finally, Duncan decided to check the map for himself. He groaned as he realized they were right.

"Enjoy the view up there, losers!" Heather shouted up at them.

"Not one of my finer moments," Duncan (here) admitted to us.

"You're afraid of a standee," Noah reminded him. "You have no fine moments."

"Screw you!"

Onscreen, Duncan shoved Owen off the cliff into the river, and jumped in after him. Meanwhile, Chef was prowling through the cabins, stealing some of the campers' belongings, such as Gwen's diary and Duncan's knife.

"That prick," I heard Trent mutter. I figured I knew why; I had a similar thought too when he took the diary.

Both teams somehow agreed to get along at least for the challenge. And, to help ensure their victory, they began to prank each other in order to take some needed supplies.

The first victim was Owen. He ended up snagged in a snare trap, and as Duncan cut him down Heather managed to run obtain their bug spray.

"Aha!" Heather cried, running up to Gwen with her prize in her hands. "Too easy!" Quickly she sprayed herself and gave the can to Gwen. "Normally I wouldn't care, but the snare trap _was_ your idea. You've earned it."

"I think I've earned it from all the times I've saved the Screaming Gophers' butts," she reminded her as she sprayed herself. Heather didn't argue. "And don't think this means we'll be friends after all this."

"As if," she scoffed. "But for now, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and right now the boys are our enemies."

Suddenly, Gwen stopped in front of a large bush. "Say, did you hear something?"

"Hear what?"

"It sounded like--"

Owen and Duncan popped out from behind the bush while the two weren't looking and started making bear noises. Freaked out, the girls dropped their duffel bag and ran into a large log. The boys closed one end with a large boulder, which gave them just enough time to steal some chocolate bars.

Gwen and Heather appeared out of the other side, confused. "What the heck just happened?"

"That was no bear," Heather said. "What kind of bear is smart enough to trap someone in a log with a boulder, yet dumb enough to not plug the other side?"

"Good point. It was definitely the boys." Gwen blinked. "Oh, crap! What did they take?" She ran back to the duffel bag, and noticed the chocolate bars were missing. "...Oh. Of course. Owen's appetite."

"Good thing we ate," Heather muttered, rolling her eyes. "The boys are so going to pay!"

Gwen blinked a few times. "Say, you know what? I got an idea."

"Another one?" She smirked. "Who knew Gwen, of all people, would be a devious little prankster?"

"I'm not perfect," Gwen said matter-of-factly. She pulled a roll of toilet paper out of the duffel bag. "I think we can do away with one, right?"

"What are you getting at?" Heather asked.

"You are going to be a mummy."

"...PFFT! Seriously?" Heather cackled. "Do you really think Duncan's going to fall for that?"

"No, but Owen will," Gwen said, sporting an evil, sexy grin.

"...True. Alright, let's do it."

The mummy trick worked like a charm. Owen was so frightened he shot up a tree. The girls took their prize: a sleeping bag.

Duncan, meanwhile, was carrying what we thought was going to be firewood. As it turned out, he was setting up another trap. He and Owen had dug a large hole and covered in with sticks. And, of course, the girls fell in it.

"Why would you step over a pile of sticks in the middle of a clearing in the first place?" Noah asked, not amused.

Duncan took the compass and dropped the duffel bag back in the hole, which apparently landed on Gwen.

"Ah, that was fun," Duncan admitted.

The two teams continued to prank each other, but by nightfall the boys somehow managed to out-prank the girls, having stolen all their supplies.

"That's not fair, eh," Ezekiel spoke up.

"Homeschool's right," Duncan said, grinning. "Poor, useless girls with no supplies... How are they still alive?"

"That's not what I meant, eh!"

"Sure it wasn't, prairie boy."

The girls found a Sasquatch footprint. Spotting a rustling bush, Gwen jumped behind it.

Trent swooned. "She's so brave--HOLY CRAP!!"

I screamed like a five year old girl.

Duncan laughed at me for screaming like a five year old girl.

"Told ya he was real," Eva said smugly.

Meanwhile, Owen and Duncan were walking nearby.

"Owen looks so hot in those goggles," Izzy swooned.

"Get your eyes checked out, Izzy," Justin simply stated.

"You're just jealous 'cause I'm with him now."

"...What are you talking about?"

Duncan and Owen ran into a nearby cave, as did Heather and Gwen, the latter not exactly running (as she was unwittingly riding on the shoulders of a pissed off Sasquatch).

"I wonder if they even knew Sasquatchinakwa was in there with them," Noah pondered.

Duncan gave him a dirty look. "Don't make me kick your ass, dude."

Everyone got chased out of the cave by bats. And apparently, Chef still didn't care about what was happening to them.

"...He can play the harp?" Courtney asked, astonished.

"Eeeeww!" Katie and Sadie whined. "He swallowed a fly--oh, EEEEWW!!"

Onscreen, Heather made the boys think they've won, even fooling Gwen for a second.

"That never would've fooled me," Noah said.

"Okay, seriously, one more word and I'll beat the holy hell out of you!" Duncan threatened.

The boys revealed they weren't as foolish as the girls thought, as Duncan revealed the map tucked behind his clothes.

"See, geek? I wasn't fooled."

"You're still here," Noah pointed out.

"...Seriously, you're asking for a death wish."

"You get used to it after a while," Eva mumbled.

The two groups set up camp, having formed a temporary "truce." As they sat before the campfire, Owen offered Gwen a mashed up ball of chocolate made from the chocolate bars. Gwen refused, but asked for his sleeping bag instead.

"Jusht when you thought Owen can't get any funnier," Beth gleamed.

"Just when you thought Gwen can't get any cuter," Trent cooed.

"Oh, dude, lame," Duncan mocked.

Heather cuddled up against Duncan, and I rolled my eyes. "Not as lame as this. So much for 'trust no one.' You didn't think she was doing that for a reason?"

"Shut up, dweeb!"

Sure enough, Duncan fell asleep, and soon after Heather sprung into action. She slowly lifted his shirt and grabbed the map. "What do you take me for?" she whispered to no one. "An idiot?" Slowly, to make sure he didn't wake up, she got up and walked over to Gwen, tapping her on the shoulder to make sure she was awake. "Get up. Grab the supplies."

Nodding, Gwen stood, taking the sleeping bag with her. She grabbed the duffel bags and followed Heather away from the mini-campsite.

"And sure enough," Noah commented. "No map, no supplies..."

"Lame, eh," Ezekiel added.

"You all want to die, don't you?" Duncan asked.

The boys woke up at daybreak, realizing the supplies and the map were gone. But all was not lost; the girls had set up another camp (it's not like they could see far enough in front of them to go too far), and Owen had caught the faint, lingering smell of something from the oven.

Chef's oven.

Maybe they still had a chance.

Maybe they could still win.

...

Okay, obviously they didn't, because Duncan was here, but I was just trying to make a nice cliffhanger. I failed, but hey, at least I tried, right?

**-X-**

**I got this up faster than I thought I was going to. Hopefully it doesn't feel too rushed.**


	51. What We've All Been Waiting For

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty: What We've All Been Waiting For**_

Chef sat next to the totem pole, holding a tray of sticky buns. Expecting to eat his cinnamon-y deliciousness in peace, he was not excited to see the girls show up from nowhere.

The girls were closing in. Victory was in their grasp...

...Then Owen appeared.

A hungry Owen.

The kind of Owen you don't want to friggin' mess with.

And he ran past the girls with such amazing speed, and beat them to... the sticky buns.

Apparently he wasn't hungry for victory.

And so, the girls tagged the totem pole first, winning the challenge.

"Oh, wow," I heard Noah say. "I guess we can't blame Duncan here."

"The hell you can," Duncan growled.

"I just said I can't, genius."

Onscreen, Gwen was doing something I thought I'd never see, after seeing them go at each others' throats since the start of the challenge: she congratulated Heather. Genuinely.

"Congratulations, Heather." She shook the master-manipulator's hand. "You've earned it."

"Please!" she said, modestly. "You devised the best pranks. Who knew you were so evil?"

"...Excuse me?" Gwen asked, eyebrows lowered. "Me, evil?"

"What?"

"And I suppose you're the heroine of this crapfest?"

"Was there ever any doubt?" Heather simply asked, smirking.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Plenty," she muttered, as she walked away.

-X-

"This was supposed to be MY day!" Chef shouted, pacing in front of the campers at that night's bonfire ceremony. "I had it all planned. I was gonna eat my sticky buns," Owen gasped, "relax with one of Heather's facials," Heather gasped, "while I finished reading Gwen's diary," Gwen gasped, "and cleaned my toenails. Which reminds me, you need to sharpen this." He threw Duncan's knife at him--it was bent in odd places and covered with some nasty gunk.

"It's a good thing I keep a spare," our Duncan said, holding up his spare knife for the rest of the room to see.

Onscreen, Chef continued. "Then I was gonna loot the rest of Owen's snack stash," Owen gasped again, "but YOU ALL RUINED IT!! SO... here's your invinci-darn-bility." He threw Gwen and Heather their marshmallows, then gave the boys an evil, twisted grin. The kind of grin that would even make Kefka Palazzo squirm in fear. **[1]**

"Oh, how suspenseful," Noah mumbled. "We all know who he hates the most."

"Yeah, no kidding," Leshawna muttered.

"YOU!" Chef shouted, throwing a marshmallow into Owen's mouth. "Choke on that, glutton!" He pointed at Duncan. "YOU'RE FINISHED!"

"Good!" Duncan talked back. "Get me outta here and back to juvie. At least with convicts you know what to expect."

So Duncan was the next one to walk the dock... obviously. He was here, you knew that already. But despite his rivalry with Gwen, she seemed to be the only person he had managed to leave on good terms with. It didn't help that Owen belched in his face, either.

The screen switched to a confession cam with Heather. "I just want to thank everyone who got me to the final three." Oh boy. Suck-up time. "Courtney, I feel your pain, girl. You should not have been cheated off like that."

Courtney was stunned. "H-How did she--?"

"Noah, you are one seriously smart guy. Don't think I didn't notice."

Noah muttered, "Bullsh--"

"And Lindsay, the most fashionable girl on the island, next to me, you know you'll always be one of my BFFs."

Lindsay looked confused. "Who's she talking about?"

"Seriously, how did she know I was--?" Courtney began, but Noah cut her off.

"She probably doesn't know who did it, but she probably figured there was no way you would've been canned fairly."

"...Oh."

Gwen was shown next in the confession can. "I've got to admit I didn't think I'd make it this far." She yawned. "But now that I have I might as well win."

"I hope she does," Trent said.

"Same here," I added.

"You bet," Duncan agreed.

"You mean Owen, right?" Courtney asked.

"Why would I want Owen to win?"

"Why do you want _Gwen_ to win, Dunkie?"

"Dunkie?" Trent asked.

"Why do you want _Owen_ to win, Princess?"

"I don't. I just don't want those two jezebels to win." Lots of gasps were heard around us. I made one of them. "Which reminds me... you've got A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO, MISTER!!"

"What? What did I--?"

"You let Heather cuddle up with you like that?" she asked in a combination of disbelief and disgust.

"So she's hot," he said, shrugging. "Not my fault."

She stood up and grabbed him by the ear again. "We are going to have another very long talk, Duncan." She took him out of the room, with him once again whining about his predicament.

Noah smirked. "They make such a sweet couple, don't they?"

-X-

The next day had to be one of my favourite days at the Playa des Losers.

No, Gwen hadn't shown up. But at this point, the side of me that wanted Gwen to win it all was winning. She was honestly the last person I wanted to see at the Playa des Losers at the moment.

Nothing exciting happened that morning. Just the usual--breakfast, hanging out, stuff like that--but around noon things got a little interesting.

We were all at the big pool, ironically the same pool we accidentally voted Leshawna off at, reminiscing about the season. It was about an hour after lunch, and we were just hanging out.

"I really hope Gwen wins," I said, and Trent patted me on the back.

"Me too, bro. After all that's happened, she deserves it."

Courtney yawned mockingly. "If you're done with your little swoonfest, the clear choice is obviously Owen. He's the nicest person left on the island, and he's shown to hold his own. He may not be the toughest guy out there, but he's got a lot of heart that those other two don't have."

"I think Gwen has plenty of heart," Leshawna said sternly.

"Well, I think we can all agree on one thing," Bridgette said. "We definitely don't want Heather to win."

"Now hold on a second," Harold said, surprisingly being the voice of reason. "I don't like the things that Heather did anymore than the last guy, but I still think there's more than what we've seen. And you have to admit she has mad master-manipulating skills. As underhanded as they may be, you have to give her credit for having the guts and the brains to do what she does."

"Like hell we do," Duncan scoffed.

"Give the devil his due," Noah simply muttered in Harold's defence.

"We shtill don't have to like her if we give her her due, do we?" Beth asked, and Noah shook his head. "Okay, I'll give her her due then."

Before anyone could say anything more, we heard an ear-splitting scream in the distance.

"What the hell was that?" Duncan asked, shocked.

"That... sounded like Heather," I pointed out.

After a long pause, Lindsay squealed happily. "I hope she got my list!"

-X-

"YAY! She got my list!" Lindsay squealed happily again, as the rest of us stared in awe at the docks of the Playa des Losers. "...But wait... where's the messy lipstick, Goth make-up, and overly done eye-shadow?"

"Chris could've compared that to my 'Joker make-up' one," Harold pointed out.

"AUGH!! I HATE YOU ALL!!" Heather screamed, stepping out of the boat.

"Bad hair day, Heather?" Leshawna asked, resulting in laughter from the rest of us.

"Oh, laugh it up, you morons." She stomped past us. "But I'll have the last laugh once I sue Chris out of everything he's got!"

"You'll have to wait in line," Courtney said smugly. "I've got a pending lawsuit on that egomaniacal freak as we speak."

"Then you better bankrupt his ass," Heather mumbled, entering the building.

Once we were sure Heather was out of earshot, the majority of us cheered, happy to see that, if anything, that manipulating witch wasn't going to get away with that hundred grand.

-X-

Despite what you may think, we didn't get very many chances to pick on Heather. She had locked herself in her room for most of her stay (Harold was the only one willing to make any sort of peace--he would also be the one to bring her food). We could hear her using an electric razor every so often--apparently she thought being completely bald would look better than whatever the hell kind of hairdo she ended up with when she got here. And honestly, I thought so, too.

She also managed to find a wig at some point that afternoon. No one knows where. Maybe someone on the staff had one on hand?

Later that night, Chris had appeared once again at the Playa des Losers. Announcing for all of us to show up in the main hall, we were all there... aside from Heather.

"She locked herself in her room," Harold told him.

"Well, you can tell her this stuff later then." He addressed us all. "Tomorrow will finally be the big day. I know, we haven't had enough time to show you the last episode's rough cut, but I think we can wait on that for now. Besides, it's not like Heather's going to want to watch it anyway." He laughed sinisterly. "But like I said, tomorrow's the big day: the grand finale! Tomorrow, someone will finally win Total Drama Island! And the crowd goes wild!"

At that, we all cheered.

"So here's the thing: tomorrow you will all be coming back to the island to support whoever you think deserves the prize money the most: Gwen or Owen." He tapped his chin. "You know, that's kinda funny. Gwen... Owen... both four letters in length, with just one letter different."

"Coincidence?" Noah pondered.

"Doubt it," Chris said with a smirk. "Who will win Total Drama Island? Will it be Gwen or Owen? The goth chick or the fat ass? One thing's for certain, I bet the winner's name will end in 'wen.'" He chuckled, but no one else was laughing. "...You guys have no sense of humour. Alright, I'm gone. Catch ya later, losers!" With that, he left the resort.

"...Is that guy for real?" Bridgette asked, and no one bothered to answer.

-X-

That night, I had a hard time sleeping. Tomorrow, the girl of my dreams will be one challenge away from one hundred thousand Canadian dollars. Not that I expected her to share any of it with me, but this was exciting! I could finally show her that I'm rooting for her, that I still care for her and want her to win it all. She truly deserved it, I believed. Sure, Owen was a nice guy, but I had a feeling he wouldn't be so willing to put any thought in what he was going to do with the money. Hell, he'd probably blow it all on some stupid party.

Now starring in a theatre near you, it's the Return of the Dream. Of course, I knew this would come back sooner or later. But wait! There was yet another catch.

_"Campers, this is the last marshmallow ceremony. Gwen, Cody, one of you will win Total Drama Island. The loser will go down as the biggest, most embarrassed loser in history. I mean, seriously, after all this time, all the crap you two went through, for one of you to lose, it'd just be so incredibly horrible." He laughed. "And one of you will have to deal with this humiliation for the rest of your poor, miserable lives! Congratulations!"_

_"Just get the damn ceremony over with, Chris," I said, folding my arms._

_Gwen smiled. "Looks like a little bit of me rubbed off on you this past season."_

_"Is that a bad thing?" I asked, smirking at my dream girl._

_"No," she said, sharing the smirk._

_"Uh, the winner of Total Drama Island is..." Chris held out the marshmallow, and called out the name of the winner: "GWEN!"_

_I grinned and nodded, holding out my hand. "Congratulations, Gwen. If there was anyone that was going to win this contest, I'm glad it was you."_

_Gwen wrapped her arms around me, amidst the cheers of the others. "Thanks, little buddy."_

_I returned the hug, resting my head on her shoulder. "You're certainly welcome."_

_"And so, on behalf of TDI, I present to you the check for $100,000!" Chris exclaimed, holding out a large cardboard check to Gwen, who gladly accepted it. "What are you gonna do now?"_

_"Oh, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. Better yet, I'll show you." She turned to me and spun me around. When I finished spinning, I realized I was wearing a tuxedo. The world around us suddenly became black, with a spotlight on me. No sign of anyone anymore, even Gwen. But she would soon appear, clad only in her underwear--yep, the strapless black bra and the purple panties with the pink skull--and a black rose in her teeth (you know, like those romantic Latino dancers with red roses, but I digress). She walked up to me, swaying those lovely hips, slowly blinking her eyes as she leaned against me, hands on my chest. I put my hands on her hips, making sure not to move them too low, despite really freaking wanting to._

_She began to sway again in a little dance, my hands forced to follow her movements. Not that they were complaining._

_Soon, the rest of me was moving, and she was getting closer. If it wasn't a dream, I would've pinched myself. There was no way this would ever happen. And as that fact floated through my mind, I frowned._

_"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, pressing herself against me._

_I tried to hide my blush. "Uh, um, I just..." I sighed. "I'm just sad. This... wouldn't happen... in real life." I lowered my head, saddened._

_She lifted my head with her hand, and my teal eyes met her beautiful dark eyes. "All the more reason to treasure this moment, right?"_

_"I-I guess so," I said, no longer trying to hide my blush. It was too deep to hide at this point._

_"Cody," she said, a more serious look on her face. I winced, worried that whatever she might say might hurt me. "I just want you to know that even though I don't feel the same about you as you do for me, you're still my little buddy, and I still care about you, okay?" She ran a hand through my hair. "And quit selling yourself short. Do you really think I was feeling bad about voting you off because I could've gotten rid of Heather?"_

_"The... thought had crossed my mind," I admitted, though I wasn't sure why. I mean, I wasn't actually talking to her._

_She sighed, letting the rose (which somehow miraculously stayed in her mouth the entire time) fall to the floor. A blanket magically appeared out of nowhere, and she wrapped herself with it, covering herself up. "This was a mistake. I'm sorry." She walked away._

_"Whoa, wait, wait!" I cried, outreaching my hand, but she had stepped out of the spotlight. "Gwen! I didn't mean--c-come back! Please!"_

_Nothing._

_I was alone now._

_I always was._

-X-

I woke up on a sombre note. I missed the happy endings these dreams used to have. Why did they always have to suck now?

Still, that image of Gwen in her underwear, and that black rose in her teeth...

...

I checked the blankets. Okay, good. No need to do laundry today.

-X-

When I got ready and met with the others downstairs, I was met with a somewhat small surprise. "Hey, Zeke, where's your bling?"

Ezekiel, now clad in his normal hoodie and jeans, simply frowned. "Nothing I was doin' was woorkin', eh. I guess I'm just noot good enoof fur her."

"Dude, don't beat yourself up over it."

"I knoo, I knoo. But she's just soo pretty, eh." He sighed. "Boot I knoo better. It ain't gonna happen. Boot I hoop I can befriend her, eh." He smiled. "Noot shoor if she'll go fur it, boot it'd be woorth a shot, right? ...That's the phrase, right?"

"Y-Yeah." I swear, it's like staring at a reflection. All I need is a toque.

"Campers!" Chris called out. "Today's the big day! The moment you've all been waiting for, yes! It's the finale of Total Drama Island!"

"The only reason I've been waiting for it," Duncan said, "is 'cause I want to get the hell out of Muskoka!

"In due time, _mi amigo_, but for now you're coming with me." He looked around, a little peeved. "Where's Heather?"

"She wasn't in her room this morning," Harold said, voicing a little concern.

"...Oh well." Chris obviously didn't care. "I'm sure she'll turn up. In the meantime, we've got somewhere to be. As we speak, Owen and Gwen are sharing to the world why they think they should win the one hundred grand. There will be two sets of bleachers set up. You will be sitting on the bleachers that represent who you feel should win Total Drama Island. Which 'wen' will win? Or, should I say, which one will 'wen'?" He chuckled, but again no one else laughed. He frowned. "Come on, this is A-material, guys!" He groaned. "Whatever, you guys suck. Let's go."

-X-

You're probably wondering how we all were able to fit on the Boat of Losers. Heh heh, well... LOOK, A DISTRACTION! ...Nah, kidding. We took one of those small yachts we arrived on when we first got here.

"It's time for the grand finale!" Chris sang. "It's the moment we've all been waiting fooooor."

"Uh, why are you shinging, Chrish?" Beth asked.

"Shut up, kid. You're ruining my moment," he mumbled before continuing his singing. "Only one will survive, but who will it be? Who will win the whole shebang and mooooore?"

"...Seriously, why?" Justin asked.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Okay, look. I have this thing for musicals. I'm trying to pitch an idea to the producers, but so far I haven't been given the green light. I was thinking maybe of doing it with a later season of this show. What do you think?"

"I feel sorry for those suckers," Noah said, smirking.

"Who would want to sign up for this show after seeing this season?" Duncan asked. "After all the stuff you put us through, I'd be surprised anyone else would want to be a part of it."

"Oh, I know," he chuckled. "I know." He resumed his singing: "This is the final stride, it's time to do or die, and someone will have to say goodbyyyye to any chances of winning one hundred grand. But first this is one final task at hand, and it is one last hoorah--one last dance, who will win? Will it be Gwen? Or perhaps Owen? Only time will teeellllllll... when we will see who will be the one to survive from this heeellllllll...! Thank you! You're too kind!"

Several campers pulled their fingers out of their ears. "Is it over?" Tyler asked, horrified.

-X-

Once we reached the island, we were greeted by... guess who.

"Ah, see, I told you she'd turn up," Chris said nonchalantly, while I gave her a wary look. Something wasn't right. Why was she here? "By the way, nice look, Heather."

"Why thank you, Chris," Heather said sarcastically through clenched teeth. I let out a chuckle.

"I'm going to meet up with our two survivors," Chris told us. "You guys form a single-file line and head for this clearing in the woods." He handed Ezekiel a map and compass. "Don't worry, it's not too far from the campgrounds. And it should be easy to find--the bleachers are already set up. And I should know. Chef complained about setting them up all night." He shook his head. "If he keeps this up, I'll stop sending him a paycheck. He'll be just like Milton from _Office Space_." He tapped his chin in thought. "I wonder if Owen can do a good Milton impression..."

"Just get the damn survivors," Noah muttered.

"Geesh! You kids and your impatience. I feel sorry for your parents. Anyway, when you get to the clearing, wait for my cue before you do anything. Any questions? No? Good." He walked away.

"...Oom, soo, okay, guys, follow me, I guess," Ezekiel said, holding up the map and compass as he led the rest of us to the clearing.

-X-

Once we reached the clearing, we formed a single-file line like Chris said, and we waited for Chris to give us our signal.

I looked past the line and saw them: the two finalists. Owen, my big ol' buddy--if there was anyone else you'd be facing here today, I'd be rooting for you, man--and Gwen, my dream girl. I took a deep breath. This was the first time in five weeks that I was in the same vicinity as her. The last time I was even graced by her presence, I was bound to a wheelchair and bandaged up like a mummy. The feeling was surreal. For some reason, I wanted to shout with joy, but my body wasn't allowing me. Stay calm, Cody. Keep a low profile. Worship her silently.

"And now, it's time to welcome the twenty campers who did not make it to the finals," Chris announced, and Ezekiel walked forward. We followed suit.

"Hey, guys!" Owen greeted. "Ooh-hoo-hoo! Good to see ya!"

Gwen hadn't greeted us--she simply blushed. A little nerve-racked. I couldn't tell, though, if it was because of me or because of the guy in front of me... but I'd put my money on the guy in front of me.

Chris spoke up again. "Would everyone who's walked the Dock of Shame and left camp on the Boat of Losers kindly take a seat in the peanut gallery of failure?"

"Would you kindly?" I joked to Trent as we went to sit on the bleachers, but he didn't seem to get the joke. **[2]**

Chris continued as we sat down. "The side you choose should represent who you would like to cheer on to victory in today's final competition." Of course, I was on the set of bleachers representing Gwen, along with Trent, Leshawna, Bridgette, Eva, DJ, Sadie, Katie, Lindsay, and Justin. On the other set of bleachers were Noah, Harold, Duncan, Courtney, Beth, Izzy, Geoff, Tyler, Ezekiel... and Heather. The last one should be of no surprise.

"Nice rug," Gwen commented.

"Oh, bite me." It appeared Izzy was about to do just that, but Heather stopped her. "Stop touching my hair, crazy girl." The queen bee turned back to the finalists, smiling deviously. Gwen and Owen began to talk, but I couldn't quite get what they were saying.

"Gwen, Owen," Chris got their attentions, "this is your chance to tell the peanut gallery of failure what you would do with the money if you won, and why you deserve it."

Gwen went first. "Well, I guess I'm pretty proud of getting this far," she admitted. "I mean, maybe if I can survive here, the rest of high school won't be so bad."

Izzy cackled, but caught herself, allowing Gwen to continue.

"Well, I'm always good for my word, and I did promise to split my hundred grand with Owen, but that would still leave me with a ton of cash. I guess I'd go traveling and then to university to study art history."

"WHOO!" Leshawna cheered behind me. "Yeah, that's it! Girlfriend's got some goals!"

"Very cool," Trent added.

I stayed silent, but on the inside I was really hoping she would win. What could Owen possibly due with the money that would make him deserve it more?

"Wow," Chris said. "That's really sweet. Boring, but sweet. Owen?"

Owen didn't hesitate to answer. "I'd throw the biggest, hugest, sickest party ever and invite everyone here! BOO-YAH!"

The group on Owen's side began to cheer, and I shook my head. Oh, yeah. I definitely hoped Gwen would win now.

...Wait.

Where are you guys going?

...

You're kidding me.

Sadie?

Katie?

Bridgette?

DJ?

Justin?

...Okay, wait, I can see Justin selling out, but... seriously, _Bridgette?!_

"At least not all of you are total sell-outs," Gwen said. I could only imagine she was a little ticked.

"Oh-ho! Oh!" Owen wasn't quite finished. "And I forgot! It'll be on a yacht!"

Lindsay slowly made her way over to Owen's side. Great.

Once everyone was settled, Chris began to explain the final challenge: the Rejected Olympic Relay Race. Gwen and Owen, wearing a chicken hat and cow hat respectively, would have to shimmy up a flagpole and retrieve a flag (a staple for final races, if TDA was any indication), cross a board over shark-infested waters carrying an eagle egg, and a long-distance run back to the starting point. Oh joy.

"Good luck, Owen," Gwen said as they put on their hats. "If I had to lose to anyone here, it'd be you."

"Aw, that's so nice!" Owen said, smiling. "I hope you lose to me, too!"

"YEAH!! GO OWEN!!" Geoff cheered. "WE WANT TO PARTY!!"

"You're gonna get one!" Owen called back, and his supporters cheered excitedly.

"Go, Gwen!" I heard Leshawna call behind me. "Kick his butt, girl!"

"You can do it, Gwen!" Trent cheered behind me. "Come on, Gwen! You got this!"

I didn't hear Eva cheer anything, but maybe she wanted to be a silent supporter. Like me. Like I said, I wanted to keep a low profile. I didn't want to distract her or anything.

"On your mark," Chris began, and the finalists made their starting stances, "get set, GO!"

And then they were off...

**-X-**

**[1] Kefka Palazzo is the ultimate antagonist of Final Fantasy VI. Depicted as a "Joker-like" villain, he is a demented, clownish court mage with a love for destruction, death, and chaos. By the end of the game, he becomes a god-like nihilist... a very bad combination if you like living.**

**[2] A reference to the videogame BioShock.**


	52. The Very Last Chapter, Really!

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-One: The Very Last Chapter, Really!**_

The finalists were off, quickly being supported by their fellow cheerleaders. ...Well, Trent was the only one that seemed to make an effort to do all the running Izzy, Geoff, and a few of the others were doing for Owen. Leshawna didn't want to run, and Eva wasn't much for cheering, apparently. As for me, well, I didn't want to be a distraction. I felt that if I ran with her like Trent was, I'd just be causing more trouble.

It seemed both competitors had trouble getting up their flagpole. Owen was too heavy, and Gwen seemed to have trouble staying up on the pole. Apparently, something was making her pole slippery, but Trent wiped it off with his shirt.

And Gwen just stood there...

And stood there...

And stood there...

And stood--

"YO! Let's go, girl!" Leshawna shouted, snapping Gwen out of her trance. "You don't have time for daydreaming!"

Gwen hopped on the pole and began climbing. Meanwhile, Owen was still having trouble.

"Okay, that can't be legal," Eva said as Geoff, Izzy, and Heather attempted to push the big lug up the pole.

"Well, we can't say much," Leshawna sighed. "Trent did help Gwen, technically."

Owen grabbed his flag and cried out happily... before realizing he had to get back down. Taking a suggestion by Geoff, he began to slide down the pole, making awful squeaking noises and crying in pain. Despite this, he had a smile when he hit the bottom.

Meanwhile, Gwen had taken the lead, Trent in tow. She headed straight for the second phase of the challenge, no doubt.

"Want to get a closer look, Short Stuff?" Leshawna asked. Nodding, I followed her away from the bleachers. "Yo, Grumpy, man the fort while we're gone!"

"Oh, shut up!" Eva snarled, folding her arms.

By the time we reached the others, Gwen had already started out on the board. I looked on, horrified. Don't fall, Gwen, please don't fall...

Heather gave Owen a pep talk, and handed him his egg. Owen looked over the edge and was horrified at the size of the gorge.

I looked back to Gwen. To my horror--and most of everyone else's--she began to lose her footing...

Oh, God, Gwen... don't fall! Don't fall!

Leshawna covered her eyes, but I kept mine on Gwen. Please, Gwen, please don't fall...

Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man, oh, man...

...

Sh-she did it.

She regained her balance.

I smiled, sighing with relief. Of course, the terror wasn't over yet, but I was glad to see she was okay for the time being.

Gwen and Owen slowly made their way across the boards, but there was a slight delay...

...Oh crap.

Leshawna uncovered her eyes, and screamed... in my ear. "HOLY CRAP!!"

Eagles were heading straight towards them.

And now I had more reasons to worry about Gwen and Owen.

And to make matters worse, Heather came up with the biggest distraction of all: Justin shirtless.

Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!

...Well, at least it backfired. Apparently she forgot about Owen's slip-ups.

And the eagles and sharks were no longer a problem either--Justin's bod caused enough distraction and pandemonium to take out the threats.

Trent managed to snap Gwen and Owen out of the trance, and they continued to walk their planks, Gwen reaching the end first.

"Yes!" I pointed out to Leshawna. "Gwen's in the lead!"

"I'm not blind, fool!" Leshawna told me. "Now come on!" We ran with the others, but were shocked to see Owen run into the confession can for a little... unfinished business.

"Oh, boy," I said, hearing the noises coming from the can. "I hope we don't have to make any confessions for a while."

"That's it!" Leshawna cried to Gwen as we caught up to her, passing Heather and an annoyed Chris. "Go, girl! You got it!"

As we ran, I noticed Trent was trying to prove something to Gwen. He even picked up a large, heavy rock. Feeling that they probably should be alone, I tapped Leshawna's shoulder. "They'll be circling back eventually. We should wait at the finish line."

"Good idea, Short Stuff," she said, smiling, yet panting. "Any more of this running, and I'll faint."

-X-

We weren't the only ones that apparently decided to come back to the bleachers, but there still seemed to be a few people on Owen's side missing. Not thinking much of it, Leshawna and I sat on the bleachers again.

"Miss me?" Eva asked as we sat down.

"Wouldn't want you to get lonely," I said, and Eva rolled her eyes.

It wasn't long before we noticed two figures appear over the horizon.

"Ooooh!" Leshawna got excited, and I could see why. Gwen was in the lead!

Yes! Yes! She was going to win this!

"There they are," Chris announced as Owen also appeared in the distance. "Two real competitors, and, if I may say, truly personifying the spirit of the Reject Olympics."

Trent and Owen began to show a lot of strain, and both fell like a bag of rocks... ironically. Still, the two pushed forward.

Leshawna and I cheered. Gwen's victory was in the bag!

"Hot brownies coming through," Izzy said, suddenly appearing with a plate of the delicious dessert.

...Wait...

Oh no...

"Lindsay! The fan! Now!" Izzy shouted, and I turned to find Lindsay with a large fan in her possession. She turned it on... but was holding it backwards, hitting Team Owen with the blast. It even made Heather lose her wig, revealing her in all her bald-headed glory.

The queen bee stood, screaming. "My wig! Can't you freaks do anything right?"

Leshawna had had enough, apparently; she stood up. "Ooh, that's it! I've had about enough of that girl." She stomped toward Heather, who had retrieved her wig. She picked her up and carried her off.

I turned my attention back to the finalists, but not before spotting Lindsay actually facing the fan in the right direction. "Oh, crap..."

Sure enough, Owen found an extra bit of strength, and he ran toward the finish line, knocking Gwen over along the way.

NO!

Not after all that's happened!

Not after all she's gone through!

But it was too late.

Owen had won the contest.

I frowned. Brownies. She lost a contest 'cause of a few brownies!

...Okay, there were a lot of brownies, but to Owen it'd just be a few.

Still, this didn't seem right! As much as I liked the guy, Gwen deserved to win! All the stuff she had to go through, all the pain and tribulations, all the crap Heather put her through... and she wasn't going to blow her money on some stupid party!

Eight weeks of torture... and nothing.

Why?

I looked over at the cheering Owen supporters, as the big lug himself put Ezekiel and Harold in a double headlock. Well, I guess I can still be happy for the guy. After all, he's my friend. And I guess he did deserve the money more than most of the people here.

But it was still a shame to see Gwen lose after all this time.

As Owen began to shower a beaming Izzy with kisses, I looked over to the two still on the race track. Trent had helped Gwen up and was about to walk back to us, but Gwen held him back. I smiled as the musician picked up the beaming runner-up. She still had a smile on her face. That meant something, right?

Of course it did.

In the end, that was all that really mattered.

She was happy, despite the outcome of the contest.

Owen ran up to the two, and brought his arms around them. After saying something to them, he ran around cheering, and they locked arms. I knew what that meant. They were a couple now.

...

And I couldn't have been happier.

Then they walked towards us, paying no heed to the others, who were trying to make her feel better about losing. She apparently didn't care, and I didn't blame her after the stunt they pulled. "Hey, thanks, you three, for having my back."

"We always got your back, Gwen," Leshawna said.

"Yep," I added, though secretly my brain was screaming at me to stop. This was the first time I was able to speak to Gwen in weeks--I didn't want to sound like an idiot. "You're always a winner in our book, Gwen."

My eyes widened as hers fell on mine. "Hey, Cody, glad to see you're okay." I don't know why I was as surprised as I was, but I was really surprised when she hugged me. Unconsciously, I returned it. "I'm so sorry we kicked you off. That was all my fault."

I didn't know what to say, but one thing was for sure: I didn't want her blaming herself. "I-It's not your fault, Gwen."

"No, it is." She sighed. "I made the others vote for you."

"I know."

She looked at me, shocked. "You... you know?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "I found out. Look..." I didn't know how to say it. I could barely speak right now. I mean... I was so excited. I was talking to Gwen! But I had to say it, and I had to say it now. "I-I need to know, Gwen. D-Did you really miss me or did you just wish you could've gotten rid of Heather?" I squeaked out quickly, almost regretting saying it after I asked. I bit my lip, hoping she wouldn't take it the wrong way.

She frowned. "I deserve that. Look, I used to think you were just a jerk, but you're a good guy. You really are." She smiled again, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Plus, I was really worried about you after... what happened." I think she was trying to avoid mentioning the mauling. "So, to answer your question, yes. I really missed you." She ruffled a hand through my hair, messing it up a bit.

"See? Told ya," Trent said, nudging me. "But no, you just had to hear it from her. Couldn't take my word for it."

"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes, but kept my smile. She really did care. She really did!

"Hey, Cody, Leshawna, can I speak to you guys over here for a second?" Chris called to us, and I looked at the smiling couple next to me.

"We, uh, better go. You guys keep Eva company," I joked, earning what I assumed was meant to be a playful punch to the arm, but it hurt like hell. "OW!"

-X-

"So what are we doing over here?" I asked as Leshawna and I walked up to Chris.

He simply grinned. "Oh, there's this little thing we're doing... something special for a special someone." He gestured toward three other contestants that were standing with us--Bridgette, DJ, and our new champion Owen. "I just want to record something extremely short and sweet, no big deal. It almost hurts, honestly, but I think it'll be worth it. I think." He explained to us what we were supposed to do--sort of pop up into the camera frame or something like that. I didn't quite understand it at the time. Maybe it was something for the fans? But then again, Chris did say a special someone... maybe he had a crush on somebody back home and we were their favourite campers? I shrugged. Well, what does it matter, anyway? It was kinda fun to do.

Once we were done, though, a little tension got worked into it. Leshawna had given DJ and Bridgette a dirty look. "So, what was up with that whole sellin'-out thing, y'all?"

"Sorry," Bridgette said, a little ashamed. "I've never been to a party like that. It sounded exciting."

"Uh-huh." Leshawna still looked a little ticked. "And you?"

DJ tugged at his shirt collar, sweating a little. "Uh, I was kind of on the fence to begin with. I wanted both of them to win."

"Whatever." Leshawna just walked away after that.

I looked at the two, and shrugged. Though I was shocked that they did that, I couldn't hold a grudge against DJ and Bridgette. They're too nice.

It was now Owen's turn to "interrogate" me. "What about you, Cody? I thought we were buds. Bros before hoes?"

I rolled my eyes. "Last time I checked, Gwen's not a ho, bro."

"...Oh, right, right. Duh. Still, how come you supported her over me?"

"Uh, he likes her, dude," DJ said, and Owen gasped as if he just had an epiphany.

"Still?! After she rejected you and got the others to vote you off and--"

"Owen!" DJ tried to get him to shut up. "That's enough, man."

"I mean, I guess I can see why, and all, 'cause she's hot as hell, like Justin, only pale--I MEAN, she's _hotter _than Justin, 'cause she's a chick." He chuckled nervously. "He's so hot--er--_she's_ so hot. She is. I'd tap that if ever given the opportun--you know what? Let's eat. I'm starving."

"...Yeah, sounds like a good idea," DJ said, a little disturbed, no doubt. Bridgette and I shared a similar "WTF" look before following the two to the lodge.

**-X-**

**The chapter was pretty short, I know, but I think it was still a good chapter. Plus, I wasn't quite sure on what note to end it.**

**Despite the title of the chapter, this really isn't the very last chapter, really.**


	53. After the Contest

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-Two: After the Contest**_

Unlike me, Gwen was willing to hold at least a small grudge against even the nicest people. And she made this fact be known at the lodge when she only allowed Trent, Leshawna, Eva, Owen, and me sit near her. (I was, of course, excited about the fact that I was still allowed)

"Hey, if they don't want to support me, they shouldn't have to sit next to me, right?" she asked us. It was hard to argue with her logic.

"So why am I sitting here?" Owen asked, confused.

"Well, you didn't exactly have a choice," she pointed out. "Unlike some people..." She gave Bridgette and DJ a glare, and they shrunk back in their own seats.

"Well, congratulations, both of you," I said, holding up my fork as if proposing a toast.

"What are you congratulating me for?" Gwen asked, curious.

"Do you have to ask?" I said, pointing my fork toward Trent.

"Oh. Uh, thank you."

I frowned. "Something wrong?"

"I was... just about to ask you that."

"...Oh." What? What would be wrong with me?

"...Never mind." She smiled again. "So, when's this big party going to be, Owen?"

"I haven't decided yet," the big guy admitted. "But one thing's for sure: you guys are coming, and I won't take no for an answer."

Gwen chuckled. "I... never been to a big party before, let alone a yacht party. Thanks."

"No problem."

"Attention, campers!" Chris got our attention. "Thank you all for an awesome season of Total Drama Island. The show is a huge hit! The ratings are off the charts! Congratulations, dudes! You've earned it!"

The campers cheered, and Chris waited patiently for the room to quiet down.

"Later tonight, we'll have the final marshmallow ceremony," Chris announced. "There, we will award Owen the check for $100,000!" More cheers erupted, and Owen bowed to his public. "Then you guys will stay at the Playa des Losers for the rest of the week."

"Playa des Losers?" Gwen questioned. "What the hell is that?"

"That's where we've been staying the past few weeks," I told her, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, so you guys never went home?"

"Nope," Leshawna said.

"And you still had to put up with all that disgusting food Chef served us?"

"Uh... no," Trent admitted, frowning. He began to explain to her and Owen about the resort.

"...You mean... you guys were staying at a five-star resort while we were all suffering at Camp Wawanakwa?" Gwen asked, glaring at us. We didn't say a word, though a nervous chuckle escaped my lips. "...Why didn't you guys vote me off early on?"

"We had no idea, either," Trent said. "I think Chris loves the irony that comes with it."

"...Grr... I hate that guy so much..." She clenched her teeth and her fists.

"Hey, don't hate on him too much," Owen said, trying to cheer her up. "If it wasn't for him, we all would've never met."

Gwen blinked a few times, then conceded. "You're right. I guess we owe him that much."

I chuckled. "Give the devil his due, eh?"

-X-

"Here we are at the last bonfire ever!" Chris announced to us at the familiar bonfire pit. Despite really wanting to sit by the lovely Gwen, I stayed in the back. This wasn't my moment to shine anyway. It wasn't even hers. "After eight brutal weeks, it is my pleasure to announce the winner of Total Drama Island... OWEN!"

The others cheered again, and I let out a cheer of my own. Even if I didn't think he deserved the win as much as Gwen did, he certainly earned it.

Owen held up the check in victory, then handed it to Chef. "Hey, what can I say, Chris?" He laughed. "I'm so psyched! This is just..."

"Awesome?" we all finished.

"YES! Party next week, everyone!" Owen exclaimed, and we all cheered again.

"Owen, at this time, I give you the ultimate symbol of survival," Chris said, holding up a marshmallow, "the final marshmallow." He handed the marshmallow over to Owen.

"I'll treasure it for the rest of my life..." It wasn't two seconds. "Oh, screw it! I can buy all the marshmallows I want, now!" He shoved it in his mouth.

"Yo, Owen," Geoff called, "you know what it's time for?"

Owen nodded, then turned to Chris, grinning evilly.

Oh-ho-ho-ho, yes...

Owen picked a horrified Chris up, and Geoff and Duncan helped carry him down to the docks, Chris kicking and screaming (mostly about his hair) the entire way.

"Oh, this I gotta see," Gwen said, following the boys, as did some of the others. I didn't need to see it, though. I had enough excitement for one day.

-X-

It was hard to sleep that night. Not for the same reason as last night, though. This time it was because Owen, Duncan, and Geoff were chasing Chef right outside our cabins. Apparently, Chris wasn't the only one they wanted to dunk into the lake.

We weren't sure why we were in the cabins right now. I guess there was some sort of feeling of nostalgia from it. The yearn to want to stay in the contest after you're voted off... you actually start to miss these bunks.

Of course, I definitely would've rather had the bed at the resort. So comfy...

Meh, one night. That's no big deal.

Once Chef's screaming died down, I managed to fall asleep...

_"Gwen... I'm really sorry about what I said. Please... Come back."_

_She reappeared in the spotlight again. I continued to speak._

_"I just needed to hear it from you, that's all." I smiled. "And now I know. You really do care."_

_She smiled back. "That's what I was trying to tell you." She removed the blanket, clad in her underwear again. She picked up the rose off the floor and put it in her teeth. "Now, how about this dance?"_

-X-

"You've got to be kidding me."

I chuckled as Gwen's jaw dropped at the sight. It was noon the next day, and we were back on the yacht, heading for the resort. She could see it, but she couldn't believe it.

"You bastards..."

"If it makes you feel better," I spoke up, "I didn't get to do very much when I first got here."

She frowned, sadly. "That... doesn't help at all."

"S-Sorry."

Once we reached the dock, Chris exclaimed, "Welcome back to Playa des Losers! Gwen, Owen, feast your eyes on the giant middle finger that this place is. Especially to you, Gwen. God knows you hated Camp Wawanakwa more than anything else."

"Except you," she muttered, crossing her arms.

"You guys will be permitted to stay for the remainder of the week," Chris announced. "Now, for those of you guys who are interested," he held up the tape, "here is the rough cut to the semi-finals. Enjoy."

"Wait, you get to watch this stuff?" Gwen asked, a little worried.

"Yep! Oh, and Gwen, don't worry. Cody doesn't hate you for that masturbation comment when you lost your skirt." He winked at us, and I shrunk back, blushing like mad. "From what I've heard, though, Cody really had some choice words for you at the time. Right, Izzy?"

"Sorry, guys." Izzy hung her head in shame. "You know I talk too much. Like the time I told my enemies all of the secrets of my secret organization which should be kept secret at all costs." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Whoops."

"Yeah. He was really pissed. I can't believe he still likes you." He laughed for a moment, but then frowned. "But seriously, I don't get it. How can you like someone after that?"

"It's called unconditional love," Sadie said in my defence. "Of course, you wouldn't know that 'cause you don't even know what love is."

"Of course I do!" Chris complained. "I love me, myself, and I. Now get the hell off my boat, you sorry sacks of crap."

As we left the boat, Gwen confronted me. "Was... that all true?" she whispered.

I tried to hide my blush. I failed miserably. "Y-Yeah. But don't worry about it. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

_"Yes." _That may have sounded harsher than I meant it.

"Okay. You just seem a little off. I mean, you're nervous and all." She blinked a few times. "Did... did he say you still--"

"Like you?" I finished, looking away. I couldn't look her in the eyes. "Does that surprise you?"

"A little," she admitted, and I began to rub my arm nervously. "I... thought you were over me."

"W-We're still, uh, friends, though, right?" I asked, wincing a little in case rejection was around the corner.

She smiled. "Of course." Oh, thank goodness! My eyes met hers again. "So, are you gonna show me around, or what?"

"Uh, what about Trent?" I asked. "Maybe he should show you around. He, uh, he is your boyfriend, you know." I nudged her, winking.

She chuckled. "Yeah, I know. But I don't want him to think all I want to do is hang around him like a leech all the time. He should have a little alone time of his own, t--" She stopped as Trent wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Oh, hey."

"Want me to show you around?"

"Uh..." She turned to me, and I gave her a thumbs up. Smiling, she turned back. "Okay, sure." I held up the pose until they had walked far enough away, then slumped. Well, at least she's happy...

Yeah. She was happy.

I smiled as I entered the resort. As long as she's happy...

-X-

"Alright, guys," Chris said as we entered the viewing room, "for the past eight weeks your little loser pals got to see all the action from the island in the form of these rough cuts. After the initial editing process, I give these guys a tape, and then continue editing the tape later on for time and what have you before I send it to the studio. You guys can watch the other tapes on your own time, but for now, we're going to be watching Heather's elimination!"

Chef walked in, carrying Heather, who was kicking and screaming to get away. She didn't want to see the elimination, and she didn't care to see it. She knew what happened and she didn't want to see it all over again.

"Too bad, Heather," Chris said, smirking. "You're going to watch!"

"You can't make me! If I'm not getting any money anyway, I don't care anymore!"

"Look, it's not like you can get humiliated any more than you already have," Chris said amidst his chuckles. "The contest is over, it's downtime. Just have some fun, 'kay?"

"Ugh... Fine."

"Alright." Chris started up the tape. "You guys, I gotta say... you came up with some awesome dares, let me tell you."

"...Wait, dares?" I asked, confused.

"Yep! What, you didn't think those were ALL for Heather, did you?"

"That's what you told us, you jerk!" Eva shouted, but no one else bothered to argue.

"Remember I also said that you guys would be voting off two people from Playa des Losers, and I never said they would be put back in the game." He chuckled again. "You guys should have known something was up."

"Well, that explains the harsh challenges," Gwen said, nodding in understanding.

The episode started with Chris announcing their breakfast over the PA system. "Campers, welcome to the semifinals. Today, we reward our challengers with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast! That's right--genuine food byproducts served with fresh ingredients relatively close to their expiration dates."

Owen salivated as he watched the screen. "Mmm... pancakes..."

Onscreen, Owen was salivating just as much, hungry for the pancakes, overly-excited despite the fact that his two female opponents looked like they wanted to kill themselves.

After breakfast, the campers were asked to use the confession cam. Heather was sent first.

Taking a make-up bag, she sat in the can, apparently noticing a card on top of the camera. "Hmm... How do you feel about being in the final three, what will you do with the money if you win, and what do you think about the other contestants?" She chuckled to herself, and began powdering her face. "Whatever. I knew I'd make it to the end. Big shocker. I just can't believe weird Goth girl made it."

"I can't believe _you_ made it, Heather," Gwen said, smirking at the bald queen bee. Heather simply raspberried.

"When I win," the Heather onscreen continued, "I'm thinking of my own spin-off series: _The World According to Heather_."

"Bleh, sounds too educational," Chris groaned.

"Luckily," she continued, crossing her arms, "I'm against a freak show and fatty ginorous, so they might as well give me the check, I mean, come on! I think we all know who's gonna win."

"Not you, apparently," Noah said.

"Screw you, geekwad!" (our) Heather shouted.

Onscreen, Heather continued, "Sure, eight weeks with these losers is cause for insanity, but at least the mother ship knows where Gwen is now so they can retrieve her." Oh, fun. Alien joke. "And Greenpeace can bag and take Owen as the hazardous waste that he is."

"Whoa, harsh," Geoff said, shocked.

Still, the verbal onslaught continued as she powdered her face again. "Sure, Owen's dumb luck has won him a few challenges, but it's his ability _**not**_ to be disgusted by anything edible that worries me."

"So true," Owen admitted. "I do scare people at times with my eating habits."

"And laaaaazy." She scoffed. "Sloths can take a cue from 'Slowen.' As for Gwen, well... thankfully, Gwen has no strengths. She's just a low-rent gutter punk with dragon breath and ugly hair."

"I think she's blind," I said, earning a chuckle from Gwen, Trent, and a few others.

Heather just rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Gwen went into the can next, sitting up so both her legs were on the ledge, her body perpendicular to the camera. She held a sketchbook in her hands. Eyeing the card above the camera, she crossed her legs and began sketching a drawing. "So, I actually made it to the final three. Just goes to show how far a bad attitude can get you." Yes! Cue the sexy evil grin! Unfortunately, it quickly disappeared. "I probably won't win, though. Owen may be a softy, but he can also be pretty tough. But Heather... Heather's strength is obviously her bottomless pit of mean. I'm banking on her massive ego to be her downfall." She shifted her position so she could rest her sketchbook on both her legs. "Hmm... If I win, I'm gonna buy Camp Wawanakwa so I can burn it down and turn it into a graveyard."

"Invite us when you burn it down," Izzy said, happily.

"I didn't win," Gwen pointed out, and Izzy snapped her fingers.

Onscreen, Gwen continued. "Yeah, the money would be awesome, but you know what would be sweeter? Making sure Heather loses."

Our Heather made another raspberry to the Goth girl.

"Seriously, she better not win, after all the crap she's pulled." She shifted her position again, this time sitting normally on the can. She put her sketch book on the floor and crossed her arms. "Personally, I've had enough drama here to last a lifetime. I mean, Owen's okay, but eight weeks of Heather was about as much fun as a mouth full of impacted molars."

Several of us burst out in a fit of laughter as Heather fumed, eyes twitching. Chef kept her pinned in her seat.

Owen was the last one to use the confessional. I don't think he bothered to read the card. "I wanted to believe it. I dreamt it could be true. And now the day is finally here! ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT PANCAKES! Ye-he-he-hes!" He began to sing about pancakes, obviously in love with the breakfast food. When he stopped, he looked above the camera. "Oh, hey, what's this?" He finally read the card. "Oh. I never win," he began, "but if I did, I'd start every day with pancakes. 'Cause they're like little mini-sunshines filled with yummy fun." After having a giggle-fit, he suddenly frowned. "But all the all-you-can-eat pancakes in the world wouldn't be special without friends to share it with." Several people "awwed" at this. Suddenly, the big guy removed the toilet seat from the can. "You ever notice how much a toilet seat looks like a pancake?" he laughed... then licked the seat.

"Eeeeeewww!!" Katie and Sadie both squealed in disgust.

Owen took a bite out of the seat, grossing out even more people. He laughed again. "I should probably spit this out." Then, he fell asleep.

"That's our Owen," Geoff said, chuckling.

After the confessions, the three were called to the amphitheatre stage. The semi-finalists sat behind a counter made up of a desk and a crate.

"Campers, welcome to the semi-finals!" Chris announced. "The producers ran out of insane ways of torturing you, sooooo they asked the ousted campers for ideas."

"Oh, crap," Trent mumbled.

"Turns out, they had a lot. They've provided us with the sickest, most twisted insane dares imaginable in TDI's version of Spin the Bottle!" He revealed a wheel with what I assumed was a cardboard bottle attachment. The pictures of all the previously voted off campers were all around the wheel.

"Uh-oh," Beth whimpered.

Chris continued to explain the challenge to the semi-finalists, revealing the freebies, as well as Chef in a pink dress.

"I think I'm going to have nightmares now," Tyler whined.

"So if they don't do the dare, they're screwed?" Duncan pondered, grinning. "Nice."

"Okay, who's ready to humiliate themselves first?" Chris asked, and reluctantly Gwen volunteered. She spun the bottle, and it landed on Duncan. Chris read the card. "Lick Owen's armpit."

All three semi-finalists cringed.

"...What would happen if Owen spun that?" Noah wondered.

"Gwen, you can perform the dare yourself," Chris said onscreen, "or dare one of your competitors to do it."

Duncan laughed. "Oh, hell yes!"

Onscreen, the host laughed, throwing away the card. "Either way, someone's lickin' some armpit in the next minute."

Gwen decided to dare Heather, obviously.

"YES!" Tyler cheered.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!" Leshawna laughed.

"That's my girl!" Trent exclaimed.

"Is that poetic justice I smell?" I asked.

"No, that's Owen's BO," Izzy explained.

"I'M RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW!" Heather shouted.

Onscreen, Heather did the dare... and she fell back, gagging and twitching.

"Call the medic," Noah said, smirking at the growling baldy.

Heather spun the bottle next, and it landed on Ezekiel.

"Ezekiel's dare is," Chris announced, "chew your own toenail... slow-ly."

"GWEN! I dare Gwen!"

I scoffed. "It's nowhere near as bad as licking Owen's armpit."

"Shut up!"

Gwen sat down on a chair Chef provided for her, and got, uh, prepared for her challenge. Needless to say, that was hot...

...Hey, I'm still a perv, guys. And technically a girl was stripping, and she has hot legs. Cut me some slack.

As Gwen underwent her dare, I heard Noah's voice. "You don't have a foot fetish, do you Cody?"

I gave him a weird look. "...Noah?"

"What?"

"...Nothing." Hmm. I thought that imaginary voice went away. ...And seriously, what's with this voice and fetishes?

Once Gwen had swallowed the toenail, she crossed her legs and folded her arms. "There. Satisfied?"

"Very," Heather said sinisterly. "I'm just picturing Trent watching this, and something tells me he won't be eager to lock lips with you anytime soon."

"I'd still rather kiss her than you," Trent said, smirking.

"Yeah!" I agreed, but quickly caught myself when I realized I did. "I-I mean, go Trent!"

Owen spun next. The bottle landed on Beth.

Chris read the card. "Rechewing a wad of Harold's gum."

I gasped. No way...

"GOSH!" Harold cried. "I was saving that for later!"

Owen took the dare, winning the first freebie.

"Oh yeah! That's my man!" Izzy shouted, cackling.

"He's a real tough cookie," Geoff added, nodding in approval.

"I'm surprised he hasn't eaten himself yet, then," Duncan said, smirking.

Gwen spun next. The bottle landed on me, and I blushed.

"Oh, this aught to be good," Duncan said, laughing.

Chris read the card. "Drop a tray of ice into your undies, and let them melt."

"...Undies?" Duncan gave me a weird look.

"I swear I wrote 'underwear'!" I cried in my defence.

"Nope, you said 'undies', dude," Chris said, laughing, and I ducked in my seat, blushing, until I heard another voice speak in my defence.

"Leave him alone." I looked up at Gwen, who was smiling at me. I sat up, grinning, no longer embarrassed.

Onscreen, Gwen accepted the dare, thinking it wasn't that bad. She grabbed a handful of ice and reluctantly shoved them into her... uh... 'undies.' I was concerned... then aroused... _very_ aroused... then concerned again.

Though admittedly the effects of said arousal didn't exactly, uh, diminish once the feeling was over with. Needless to say, I tried very hard to be subtle when I tried to hide it.

It didn't work. "Dude, you gotta pee or something?" Owen asked me. I ignored him.

"Nah, I doubt it," Duncan said, laughing at me. That, I couldn't ignore. "Hey, can't say that backfired, right, geek?"

"Sh-shut up..." I mumbled, blushing.

Returning our attention back to the video, we saw Heather spinning her bottle. She claimed she would do the dare no matter what, and the bottle landed on Tyler.

"Yes!" Tyler laughed. "I was hoping for this!"

"Why?" DJ asked.

Because she now had to eat jelly from Owen's belly button.

"Oh, evil. Very evil." He bumped fists with Tyler.

"Nine spoonfuls," Trent pointed out. "Nice number to end on."

Heather underwent the dare, and ended up on life support for a few minutes.

"I can't believe Chris and Chef haven't thrown up yet," Geoff said, astonished.

Bridgette gulped. "I can't believe _**we**_ haven't yet."

"Please noo one vomit, eh," Ezekiel implored. "The janitoors will thank you."

Owen's next spin landed on Izzy.

"WOO! My time to bring the pain!" Izzy cried happily.

"Give a purple nurple to a sleeping bear," Chris read off the card.

"Oh, choice!" Geoff laughed.

Owen accepted the challenge, but I think he quickly regretted it... even before he got into any danger.

Gwen's next spin landed on Harold, and Chris read the card. "Lick Owen's toe jam."

"Oh, sick!" Tyler gagged.

"I think Owen enjoys the one-woman spa treatment from Heather," Duncan said, guffawing, but he stopped laughing when Heather used her freebie. "Oh, lame."

Heather spun next. The bottle landed on Geoff.

"...Oh, no..." Geoff bit his lip.

"What?" Bridgette asked.

"Sorry, Gwen," he said, holding on to his hat for dear life.

"You didn't know," Gwen said, and he calmed down.

"Drink powdered fruit punch from the communal toilet," Chris read from the card. Oh. Eww.

After contemplating whether or not to use the freebie, Gwen decided to go through with the dare.

"She's so brave," Trent cooed.

"Yeah, we heard you the first time," Duncan said, annoyed.

"She's so brave," I cooed.

"...Oh, great... Another one..."

In the washroom, Chris poured some punch mix into the toilet, and plunged. The water still stayed a nasty yellowish color despite the mixing.

"I'm _**really**_ sorry, Gwen," Geoff whimpered.

"Seriously, it's okay," Gwen told him.

Reluctantly, the Gwen onscreen took the bendy straw from Chris and took a sip from the toilet. She soon found her hands over her mouth, and found herself running out of the stall, puking nearby.

"Eww..." Sadie and Katie cringed, shuddering. Many of the others in the room shuddered in a similar fashion.

Gwen came back to the desk, looking really sick to her stomach. And a lot of that sick was all over her face, too. Obviously, I was concerned... even though she was right here and looking healthy... at least from what I can tell.

And this time, the concern wasn't accompanied by arousal. Not that you guys were expecting that anyway.

As Owen went up to spin, Heather rubbed in Gwen's misfortune. "At this rate, Trent's gonna need a fumigation squad just to--" She was cut off when Gwen burped a cloud of nasty into her face.

Trent laughed. "That's my girl!"

"That's... That's Trent's girl!" I caught myself. I started to blush again.

Owen's spin landed on me. Oh joy.

"Eat dog food," Chris read from the card.

"Dude, your challenges are so lame, man," Duncan said, shaking his head.

Chris reminded Owen that he still had a freebie, and he could challenge someone that, say, doesn't have one (Heather). After Gwen and Heather exchanged some wit (I think Gwen won), Owen dove into the dog food, engulfing and consuming the dog food on the plate.

"...Okay, I take back what I said earlier," Duncan said, looking a little sick himself. "That was nasty as hell."

Chris finally caved in and puked, losing his bet to Chef, who puked next. Gwen and Heather followed suit.

"I wonder if that toilet punch tastes better coming back up," Courtney pondered.

"...I think it did, actually," Gwen recalled.

The trio continued to go through the devastating dares. And though Gwen and Heather kept daring each other, Owen kept doing his own dares, and he seemed to always have the easiest ones for some reason.

At long last, Chris decided to comment on the progress. "I can't believe no one's dropped out and Owen has twenty freebies!"

"The man's a machine," Noah complimented.

At this point, Gwen offered Owen a deal. If he helped her take Heather down, she'll give him half the prize money if she wins the contest, and a box of doughnuts if she loses. Owen accepts, asking Chris if he could give away half his freebies. As it turns out, there were no rules against it, and Chris allowed it despite Heather's protesting.

"Oh, talk about burn," Tyler said, giggling.

"I hate you all!" Heather shouted, trying to get up and leave, but Chef held her back.

And then the fun began...

**-X-**

**The chapter was getting a little long for my tastes, so I'm stopping it here.**

**So you guys know, this fic has still got a little bit to go. There will be a few days in PdL, and of course we have TDDDDI to look forward to.**

**I'll be reminding you every so often in case you guys forget. There is a sequel being planned for TDA, and if I can survive that there will most likely be one for TDM as well. I have a working title for the upcoming fic, and it'll probably be the one I use. So when the time comes, don't forget to look for **_**Façade: Behind the Scenes**_**. And remember what I said way in the beginning about attempting to fix what the writers "had destroyed"? I think it's a little obvious what I meant by that by this point. Someone's gotta come up with a few possible (though still not canon, keep that in mind) explanations as to why the characters are so different. Also, I want to redeem a few of the "fallen" characters; I certainly don't think Gwen deserved the rap she got (in fact, I blame Trent for almost the entire first half of the season; if he would have told her about his OCD way back in the beginning, most of that bad crap probably never would have happened), and there were a lot of other things in TDA that just seemed unexplainable (that will be a challenge for me).**

**So yeah, don't forget to look for **_**Façade: Behind the Scenes **_**once this fic's over. :D But I'd say that won't be for a little bit yet; this fic has at least a few more chapters to go, provided I can get through TDDDDI in less than two chapters.**


	54. A Somewhat Awkward Night

**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**

_**Chapter Fifty-Three: A Somewhat Awkward Night**_

Their plan had worked like a charm. Anytime Heather would dare one of them, they'd use a freebie, and yet Heather, with no freebies, had to do every challenge that came her way.

You already know our opinions of her at this point--it shouldn't shock you that we were excited to see this. Especially Tyler. Hell, the only time Tyler was even worried about her safety was when she was acting like a chicken.

Owen seemed to enjoy one of Katie and Sadie's challenges quite a lot--the puppet show where Heather had to kiss Chef's sock.

I personally enjoyed one of Beth's challenges. The whole pig manure cannon thing. She really showed no mercy there.

One final spin from Gwen sealed Heather's fate, though. The one person that the wheel hadn't landed on the entire time: Lindsay.

"Finally, I catch a break," Heather had said, relieved. "There is no way Lindsay can think of anything bad."

"Ooh, you're not gonna like this one," Chris said, and Heather was now mortified. "Have your head shaved by Chef."

"WHAT?!"

The two 'wens' high-fived, and Gwen cried, "Lindsay rules!"

Tyler laughed. "She sure does!"

"Aww," Lindsay cooed. "Thanks, Taylor. But you know what? After all those times Hannah threatened my hair, do you think I'd really forget about that?"

"She only threatened it once, I think," Noah said.

"...Oh. Well still, I remember that very loudly and clearly."

Onscreen, Heather sat in the barber chair, afraid of the electric razor in Chef's hand. As Chef closed in, Heather suddenly kicked the razor away, but it went upward and landed on Heather's head anyway, giving her the most god-awful look ever.

"Hello, Vince McMahon," Noah joked, and Heather growled again. **[1]**

"Wow," Chris said onscreen nonchalantly. "Well, that was an unfortunate accident. Looks like Heather's out."

"What are you talking about?" Heather asked. "He shaved my head!"

"True, but you didn't exactly accept the dare." Oh-ho-ho-ho, crap! Nice. "If you had, you'd still be bald, but you'd be in the game."

Heather screamed bloody murder--no doubt that was the scream we heard that day. She grabbed Chris by his shirt collar.

"Sorry. Them's the rules."

"I thought you said there weren't any rules!"

"Yeah, I know. It's complicated. But here's the rub--you lose, they win."

Upon hearing this, Gwen and Owen cheered and danced in victory.

"Fine!" Heather shouted, admitting defeat. Sort of. "But you'll be hearing from my lawyers!" She walked past him to the boat, and he threw the keys to Chef.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's gonna be a long ride."

Heather stepped onto the boat. "A long ride to COURT when I sue you for everything you've got!" At this point, Chef got on the boat and drove it off.

"And then there were two," Chris announced, gesturing toward a happy Gwen and Owen. "Tune in to see who will win the check for one hundred thousand dollars on Total Drama Island!"

"You want drama?!" they heard from the retreating Boat of Losers. "You'll be penniless! Jobless!" Despite the shouts, Owen waved off the pissed off ex-contestant. "Your name will be mud on every blog from here to Cape Breton!"

Once the episode ended, we all cheered--well, except for two. Eva doesn't cheer, and Heather obviously wasn't cheering either.

Soon, everyone cleared out, heading for the outdoor buffet. Apparently, despite all the nasty things we just saw, they still had their appetites.

I was going to get up, but I noticed Gwen hadn't moved. "You coming with us?"

"Nah," she said, sitting back comfortably on her sofa. "I'm going to stay here for a while. Relax a little bit, you know?"

I shrugged, deciding not to push the issue. She had a rough two months. She earned a bit of relaxation, definitely. I stood up and walked out, joining the others outside.

-X-

I didn't do much out there. Just ate some food and played with a Frisbee Tyler had found. At any rate, it was just a normal day at the Playa des Losers, only now with less available food, thanks to Owen. In fact, as far as the last few days were concerned, he was the most notable difference; Heather locked herself in her room and Gwen was still somewhere inside the building. I figured she may have just gone to her room and slept, finally in a real, comfortable bed.

So no, things didn't really get all that interesting... until that night.

It started with yet another dream about Gwen, only this time it wasn't an elimination ceremony, and it wasn't her in her underwear (much to my dismay). No, I simply dreamt about the finale of the show, only this time things played out a little differently.

_Izzy held up the brownies and Lindsay had turned on the fan... again in the wrong direction, sending Heather's wig flying. "My wig! Can't you freaks do anything right?"_

_"Oh, that's it!" Leshawna said, standing up. "I've had about enough of that girl." She stomped toward Heather, picked her up, and carried her away._

_As Leshawna came back, Lindsay had turned the fan on in the right direction, sending the smell of brownies toward Owen yet again, and again he knocked Gwen over on his way to the delicious chocolate dessert._

_I looked at Gwen in horror. Come on, Gwen... get up..._

_Trent got to her, telling her she could still win this thing. But it looked like she didn't believe in herself._

_But he believed in her, and even though I couldn't quite catch what they were saying, he must have said something that got her to believe in herself again, and he helped her up. Meanwhile, Owen was heading for the goal, but as if in the shades of his previous loss over sticky buns, Owen had collided with Izzy before he reached the finish line._

_My goofy grin appeared once more on my face as Gwen passed the jolly behemoth and crossed the finish line. She... she won! Gwen won! WOO! I turned to Eva, holding up a hand for a high five. She, uh, tried to return it, but ended up smacking me down. Ow..._

_As I lay semi-conscious on the ground, I heard Lindsay cry nearby. Poor Lindsay. She was taking Owen's loss pretty hard._

_That night, at the last bonfire ceremony, Chris revealed the winner of Total Drama Island: "GWEN!"_

_Owen picked up the winner of TDI, holding her in one of his "death hugs" as Chris offered her the final marshmallow. The big guy set her down, suddenly bummed about not being able to have his party, but Gwen said that, once she's finished paying for schooling, she should have enough money to throw a party for all of us (except Heather, of course). No one objected to that one bit (except Heather, of course)._

_Then, Owen nudged Gwen, asking if she'd take someone to the party. I smiled as she turned to the musician, suggesting it'd be him. My smile widened even more when she agreed to go out with him, and they hugged. What can I say? He makes her happy. And that's all that matters, right?_

_..._

_I just wish I could make her smile like that..._

-X-

I woke up in the middle of the night, parched. "Well... I could use some juice from the kitchen..." I stood up and walked out of my room, down the hall, making my way to the kitchen.

Then I heard voices.

I stopped, curious. I listened a little more carefully.

...It sounded like Lindsay's voice. And it was coming from the viewing room.

I stepped closer.

"...hunkier, and more stylish."

...Wait...

"Thanks for pointing that out, Lindsay."

That was me.

Someone was watching one of the tapes.

"Gwen is my dream girl. I'm just not her dream guy. But as long as she's happy, hey, I'm happy."

...

I felt a tear roll down my cheek. Yeah, I'm happy alright.

I should've left then and there. I should've just gone straight to the kitchen.

Oh, why did my curiosity have to get the better of me?

I peered into the room, shocked to see who was still in it. Quickly, I tried to leave before I could be seen, but I was caught. "Cody? Is that you?"

Sighing, I entered the room. "Yeah, it's me." I couldn't look her in the eyes.

She paused the tape. "Uh, what are you doing up?" I looked up. She looked a little nervous, even blushing a little.

"Uh, I was thirsty. I was going to get something to drink," I explained, rubbing the back of my neck. "What are you still doing up?" I mentally slapped myself for asking. It was kind of obvious.

"Just... watching a few tapes," she squeaked, fingers drumming on the sofa she was sitting on.

"I-I'll leave you alone then," I said, stepping out of the room.

"Cody." Hm? I stepped back in, confused. "You can stay if you want."

I shook my head. "Nah, I've seen them all bef--"

"Cody."

"...Well, let me get something to drink, first."

"Okay. Uh, can you get me something, too?"

"Grape soda, right?"

"...Right. How did you--?"

"The animal trap thing..."

"Oh, yeah..."

I stepped out of the room, sighing deeply. Great. As much as I should've enjoyed being able to keep Gwen's company, I couldn't escape from the fact that... this was probably going to be awkward as hell.

-X-

By the time I came back with both drinks in hand, she had just finished watching Leshawna's elimination.

"Oh, that was a real dick move," she muttered, annoyed at Chris. She looked up at me and smiled. "Those weren't in your pants, were they?"

I chuckled nervously. "No, no, don't worry." I handed Gwen her soda before sitting down. I waited for her to take a sip. "Just my gitch."

She coughed, going wide-eyed, and I couldn't help but laugh. "N-Not funny, Cody!"

"S-Sorry. Don't worry, I was kidding. They weren't in my pants."

"Or your--"

"Gwen, they'd technically be in my pants if they were in my--"

"Okay, okay. Good point." She still looked a little wary about the soda, but she took a sip anyway. "I should've known, anyway. The bottle doesn't smell weird."

"What, are you saying I stink?" I asked, jokingly.

"Well, I'm not going to sniff your crotch anytime soon to find out, Codemeister," she said, getting up to switch the tapes.

"Anytime soon, huh?" I asked suggestively.

She gave me a weird look. "You are one sad, strange little man."

"You totally stole that line."

"I know." She was about to sit back down when she realized what episode this was. "Oh, wait, this is the coconut thing, isn't it? Screw that." She went back to switch the tapes again. "That was a waste of video to begin with."

"So, uh, Gwen... why did you want me to stay?" I finally asked. "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything--I'm not--but it just... it's not something I would've expected."

She sighed. "I know. It's not like I was planning this or anything, but... I'd like to make up for lost time, you know?" I blushed as she came back over by me, sat down, and put an arm around me. "What you did for me and Trent, after all that... I don't think I've ever properly thanked you." She bit her lip for a second. "And what you said... you know... before you guys accidentally booted Leshawna out..." I just barely caught a faint blush on her cheeks. "Thanks, Cody. I don't know how else I can possibly say it without sounding sappy, but thank you."

Words could not describe... the goofy smile on my face. "Oh, no problem, Gwen." Another nervous chuckle escaped. "I'm just happy to see you happy."

"So I've heard."

"Yeah." Blushing, I turned away. The inevitable awkward silence finally came at last, and I tried my hardest to break it. "Uh, so... wanna start the tape?"

"Good idea."

-X-

Yeah, it was a little awkward, but we still managed to have a good time watching... that one tape. Yeah, 'cause she skipped the "Mr. Coconut" one. But I'm actually glad she did--those sins were told in confidence, and I'd hate to find out what she'd think if she saw it on the tape. It's not always easy hearing the most evil of words coming from such an amazing voice and such lovely lips--crap! Stop it! She's taken!

...Anyway, we had a few giggles, and a few things to say.

"Duncan's so full of himself sometimes, isn't he?"

"Hey. He's not a bad guy. ...You know, for a convict. He can be a good person when he wants to be."

"When he's not threatening our lives, yes."

"Has he?"

"Not sure if he was serious, but he's said things."

"Well, if he starts killing people, let me know. I'll give him something to think about."

"I can't believe you actually got along with Heather in that challenge, though."

"As short-lived as it was... yeah, it is kinda weird, huh?"

"Yeah, seriously."

"Well, keep in mind... we also wanted to live, too."

"True, true."

"Oh, man... you have no idea how scared I was at the time."

"Oh, I can only imagine. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks. And you know... who else can say they've rode on a yeti's shoulders?"

"That's the spirit!"

Finally, the episode ended, and I stood up, stretching a little. "Unh... alright, time for bed."

"Wuss."

"Hey!"

She chuckled. "Kidding, kidding." She stood up, too. "Can't wait to sleep in a real, comfy bed. Damn, my back's been screaming for one since halfway through the contest."

"All the more reason to get your butt in bed."

"Yep. My icy, frozen butt."

"...Huh?" It took me a few seconds to get that, but when I did, I frowned. "...Oh. Sorry about that."

"Eh, don't worry about it," she said as we were leaving the room. "The toilet punch was much worse."

-X-

Okay, so that night wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it would be. In fact, it was kinda fun. You'd be surprised how outgoing Gwen could actually be if you got to know her. And, well, let's be honest... it was a real turn on. Hehehe...

But don't think I'm going to be trying anything. I'd never intentionally break up a relationship (don't give me that look--they weren't a couple when Trent and I were... uh... you know... trying to get her to notice us. ...Okay, in my case, trying; he didn't have to try much at all). Hurting her was the last thing I ever wanted to do... except maybe kill someone; not sure which one would be the one I'd hate to do the most.

My point is... I don't want to hurt Gwen. I never want to hurt Gwen, and so I'll just... keep my distance. ...Well, not literally, but you know what I mean. I still want to hang out with her, be one of the best damn friends she's ever had. I can do that much. But when it comes to her and Trent, I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole. The last thing I want to do is sabotage a relationship that she's happy in. I'd much rather her be happy with someone else than miserable with me.

Why does it have to be so hard to tell someone something like that? You guys have no idea how much I wanted to tell her that, how often I wanted to tell her that. I wanted to tell her how much I care for her, and how far I'm willing to go for her to be happy. The things I've told her already, I feel... I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface. There were... so many things I wanted to say to her, but I couldn't. What was my problem? Was I afraid she was going to reject it? Was I afraid she was going to say, "Cody, you really need to move on with your life; I don't want some second person breathing down the back of my neck"?

Was I afraid I'd destroy what we already had?

Besides... it's not like she really wanted--er--needed to know, right? No, she doesn't have to know. I should be proud of what I already have with her... even if it wasn't much more than a really nice friendship. ...Well, at least on my end. To her, I'm probably just an acquaintance; someone she doesn't necessarily like enough to be a quote-unquote "friend", but someone she doesn't necessarily hate, either.

...Screw that. What's with this self-esteem lowering bull crap? Think positive, Cody! Aren't you supposed to be the positive one anyway? Quit selling yourself short. She likes you. Platonically, but she _likes_ you. Didn't you say that was enough? So don't forget it!

...Yeah, how about I quit digressing? Sound like a good idea?

I slept pretty well once I got to bed. Maybe it helped that the soda wasn't caffeinated.

You're probably waiting for me to recall one of my dreams again. ...Meh, the one I had that night wasn't all that great. It was kinda random, actually... which kinda sucks 'cause I want to have that one with Gwen and me in the spotlight again. I really like that one. Hehehe...

The next morning, I found myself looking for Gwen. At first I wasn't expecting she'd be outside--the buffet's only open at lunch and I figured she'd want to stay out of the sun--but then I saw Owen running into the building, his swim trunks hiked up into a massive wedgie.

"Dude, Owen, what happened to you?" I asked, chuckling at the sight.

"Two words, Cody," he said. "Never brag... uh... okay, it's more than two words. Never brag in front of a girl you just beat for one hundred thousand dollars if she's capable of this." He pointed down at his, uh, predicament. Then he ran off again, probably to a medic.

I burst out into a giggle fit. Something told me Gwen was outside after all.

I walked out and spotted two figures in the distance on the dock. Grinning, I walked over to the duo. "So, I saw your handiwork, Gwen."

"It was an accident," Eva said, taking a sip from her drink. "Right, Gwen?"

"Oh, yeah," Gwen said, covering her face, probably holding back a laugh. "I swear, I don't know how that happened."

"Riiiight." I decided to take a seat in the third beach chair on their side of the dock. "So, how are you two lovely ladies doing?"

Eva scoffed. "Me, lovely? Gwen, hand me a mirror so I can prove him wrong... by breaking it over his head."

"Hey, forgive me for complimenting you," I said sarcastically, folding my arms. "So, what's up?"

"Meh, just shooting the breeze with Eva," Gwen said, lying back on her chair, placing her hands in a funeral-esque position like she does when she's sleeping (hey, don't give me that look--I saw it on the tapes). "And then Owen came running up and down the dock hollering and whooping about his winning the contest, and somehow he ended up giving himself a wedgie."

"Yeah, somehow," Eva said, smirking.

"Oh, I bet you had nothing to do with it, Gwen," I said, chuckling.

"Do you really think I would do something like that?" Gwen asked, looking all "innocent."

I shook my head, looking up at the sky. "I... really don't want to answer that."

"Good idea." **[2]**

**-X-**

**[1] Another WWE reference, this time alluding to Wrestlemania 23, specifically the Battle of the Billionaires. The match was Bobby Lashley vs. the late, great Eddie "Umaga" Fatu, with Donald Trump and Vince McMahon respectively in their corners and Stone Cold Steve Austin as the special guest referee. The loser of the match would result in their respective billionaire having his head shaved bald.**

**[2] If you haven't already guessed, or if you haven't seen this little video, this last scene is a reference to a short video showing Gwen and Eva on the dock of the Playa des Losers. Gwen tells Eva how she's glad the show is over, and she doesn't feel bad about losing. Owen then runs past them on the dock, holding up the check, exclaiming his victory happily. Eva gives Gwen a look and Gwen tries to tell her that she really is happy for him, and she's not jealous at all; however, Owen still continues to run past them (and even "butt-scoots" past them at one point), bragging about his win. At the end of the video, Gwen gets up, and the screen is fixed on Eva as the viewer hears Owen's cries of pain somewhere off-screen. Gwen comes back, sits back down, and claims it was an "accident", as a scared Owen runs past them one last time with his swim trunks hiked up in a painful-looking way.**

**-X-**

**Another thing to tell you guys; don't think I actually wrote this in two days. XD This took, like, four... maybe five days. I don't always submit stuff right away after I type it. Though I do admit oftentimes these chapters can be a real breeze if I have the right mindset.**


	55. Intermission

**My next semester of college has started now, so don't expect these updates to be as fast as they used to be. College life. Heh. How fun! XP Nah, I'm kidding. It's alright. A little tough, but I think I might be able to handle it. XD I wish I didn't have to go all five days of the school week though. I've lucked out the past two semesters with my four days a week; wasn't so lucky this time.**

**I'm going to attempt to get through a chapter of mostly new material. Not sure how good I will be at it, but I'm going to try, anyway. Then I'll probably start TDDDDI after that.**

**Considering that there is a rather huge gap between when Cody, DJ, Tyler, and Owen first lose the case and when they finally get it back from Justin, as well as the fact that the "action" itself starts two hours after the contest had started (according to Chris in the special), there is bound to be more fanon stuff during the special, too. Of course, those were just examples--I'm sure I'll have more original material than just in those places. XD**

**As for trying to get through TDDDDI in two chapters? Eh... well that honestly really does depend on how much I add to it. It'll probably end up being three. Or four. Or who knows? It's not THAT thoroughly planned out.**

**-X-**

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-Four: Intermission**_

Gwen hid her face in embarrassment as the others in the room laughed at what they saw on the screen. Well, except for me. I thought she was a sweet lady, if a little... different. But hey, Gwen was a little different, too, and... well... you guys have a pretty good idea at this point how I feel about her. Well... like mother, like daughter, right?

Oh, I better explain. Back when there were five contestants left on the island, Chris had sent out some messages to the families of the final five and asked them to send a video from home. Leshawna's parents (or legal guardians... or whoever takes care of her) apparently never got their message--her friend Jasmine had found it first, and sent a video of her own back... though it was more of an audition tape than a wish for good luck for Leshawna, like it was supposed to be. Duncan's parents, interestingly enough, seemed to be somewhat polar opposites--even when it came to loving Duncan; what kind of father would question if he loved his son, no matter what he did? It was downright appalling to me.

Of course, that wasn't all. Next up came Heather's parents. For some reason, I wasn't so appalled by this--in fact, it was kinda funny. Perhaps it's bias? Probably. Then again, I'm sure Heather's parents still loved their daughter, despite the fact that they seemed quite excited about her being gone. I can imagine she's a handful, but... I wasn't expecting her to be _that_ much of one.

Then, we saw Gwen's message from home. Now... I wasn't going to say anything about anyone's moms, but... damn! Did you see Duncan's and Gwen's moms? I'm not gonna lie, and I know this is going to sound weird, but... wow! Just wow! And I can't say the same for Duncan, obviously, but oh man, I can see where Gwen got her gorgeous good looks from. Wink, wink.

...What? So she's a little nutty. Big whoop. Izzy's nutty as hell, but she's also hot.

Speaking of the red-head, once Chris started the final video I began to wonder if Izzy thought the same thing (concerning the whole "gorgeous good looks" line) about Owen and his dad. But all joking aside, they seemed like a real nice family, too. And to be honest I wondered if perhaps Owen's weight was genetic after seeing them. But then again maybe they have the same eating habits. Either way... there was something about Owen's mom... No, not like Duncan's and Gwen's moms, but... she really reminded me of Sadie for some reason... Ah, it's probably just all in my head.

Once all five videos had finished, Chris got our attentions again. "There is one more video I want to show you guys. Don't worry, you'll love it." He chuckled to himself. That was _not_ a good sign. "Especially the second part. You guys will absolutely love the second part; I guarantee it." He held up the tape. "This has Owen and Gwen's final confessionals on it. Since you guys pretty much saw what happened at the finale for yourselves, I didn't bother bringing the whole edit, but if you're really that curious, just wait for it to friggin' air, damn it."

As he popped in the tape, I noticed the expression on Gwen's face go from embarrassed to horrified. Concerned, I spoke up. "Are you okay?"

"I won't be..."

That definitely was not the answer I was looking for. "W-Why not? What's wrong?"

She stared at the floor. "I... said some things... a-a-about the others," she whispered to me.

...Uh-oh.

"I-I'm sure they'll understand," I said, trying to make her (and honestly me--I was admittedly very afraid of what she might have said about me) feel better about this. I'm not sure if it worked--she still had a rather embarrassed look on her face. "I mean... you've been there for eight weeks; the conditions aren't exactly that... uh... great." I looked away, worried that I probably made it worse.

"...Thanks, but... I'm still worried I'm going to freaking die by the end of the day."

I looked back up at her, relieved that I didn't say the wrong thing. "Bah, what you said about me couldn't have been all that bad," I said, planting a brief, cheesy smirk on my face for a second.

"No," she scratched the back of her head, "you might actually like what I said about you. It's people like Eva that will probably kill me."

Trent spoke up. "Oh, I'm sure it's not that bad." He interwove one of her hands with his.

She started biting her lower lip. "Yyyyeeeeeah... I don't know about that."

She still had time to breathe, though--Owen was up first. Once again, there seemed to be a card above the camera telling them what to say. Owen caught it this time. "What was my stay like?" He chuckled. "I had a WICKED TIME! It was awesome!" He began whooping and chuckling for about another minute before he finally calmed down enough to read the second question. "How do you feel about the other competitors, and what do you think about the food you were served on the island?" His pupils dilated and he started drooling, most likely at the thought of lunch. Once he had regained his composure, he cheered, "The food was awesome!"

"Is he really talking about Chef's food?" I pondered.

Owen's confession continued. "And the people were just awesome!" Boy, he's like a broken record. He eyed the card one last time. "Ooh, good question. The one thing I'll be remembered for?" At this time, Chris had inserted a montage of several of the times during the season in which Owen had... uh... passed gas. The spotlight went back on Owen in the can. "Uh... I hope my great personality." Of course, he farted again.

"Something tells me otherwise," Chris guffawed, before pausing the tape. "Get your pitchforks and torches ready, folks, 'cause here's Gwen's last confession!"

Gwen groaned, and despite how absolutely hot it sounded, I frowned. She really was worried about something.

And I was about to find out why.

Gwen obviously wasn't a happy camper (oh crap, if she ever found out I made that pun...) when she entered the cam. Perhaps Chef's food had something to do with it. Anyway, she skimmed the questions on the card, and already her annoyance was shown. "Alright, Chris. I'll play this little game. What was it like being here for eight weeks? It _sucked_, that's what." That wasn't too surprising. "The food was disgusting! And the people here... stank. They were the most--" at this point, Chris had taken the liberty of producing a montage for all of us to see, no doubt adding to the horror of the girl sitting next to me, "--backstabbing, manipulative, two-timing, fame-hungry, dim-witted, certifiably insane, really weird, psychotic, redneck, overbearing, goody-goody, know-it-all, party-obsessed jerks!"

And of course Chris paused the tape here. "OH, that was fun, wasn't it?" He laughed cruelly, and Gwen slunk back in her seat, no doubt wishing to be invisible.

But fortunately for her most of the ex-campers found no offence from Gwen's words in comparison to the fact that Chris had posted that montage and deliberately showed it to them in order to stir up hatred in them. Needless to say, the host's plan had backfired, as all the anger was directed toward him.

"You're an ass, you know that, Chris?" Noah said matter-of-factly.

"Shall I do the honours of bashing his face in?" Eva questioned.

"Hey, I didn't say any of that," Chris said in his own defence. "That was all Gwen. Besides," his grin widened, "she had a few nice things to say, too. I'm not completely heartless, you know. There's gotta be something pumping blood through my veins. Not sure yet what it is, though." He cleared his throat. "But I don't think I'll be able to air the whole thing. It's pretty long, pretty slow, pretty boring..." The glares continued, but he shrugged them off. "That's why I had something recorded and placed it in the video. I still have the entire confession, but there's simply not enough time to air the whole thing, so everything beyond... well, you'll see it. Everything beyond 'it' will be nixed in the final cut." He pressed play, and onscreen Gwen had blown her stray bangs up, but they fell back down. She looked back at the camera. "I was lucky enough to meet five people who are actually sane."

As she said this, I saw "it," but I couldn't believe "it." So Gwen was that "special someone" Chris had told us to... uh... pose for that day. I never would have guessed.

...Wait...

My thoughts reeled back as realization hit me like a shot.

Gwen... she... she put me on the same level as... Leshawna and Bridgette... and DJ and... Wait, did she say Owen's sane? ...Well, she's put up with him long enough. Maybe those last few days of just them had made her see him in a different light than most of the others did.

But that wasn't important, really. Well, to me, anyway. I know that sounds selfish, but... the thing that I found most important was the fact that... well... I think I've already said it. After... you know... sniffing her hair and quote-unquote "stalking" her for several days, she still liked me enough to call me sane.

I know what some of you might be thinking. One could argue that she only likes me because I hooked her up with Trent. And you know what? Maybe you're right. But I'm going to think a little more positively about that possibility. The act showed that I cared for her, and saw her as more than just eye candy. It showed I was willing to make sacrifices for her. It showed I had her very best interests in mind. Not to sound like I've "earned" something from all this, but wouldn't you think those reasons would be valid to consider someone a friend?

But enough of my stupid monologues. Like Chris had said before, there was a lot more to what Gwen had said. Time constraints, however, kept them from airing.

She had decided to go down the list in a particular order--from persons she had known the longest to persons she had only known for a little while. Of course... that meant I was last.

"Owen." The Goth onscreen rolled her eyes. "You crazy little goofball. ...Did I say little?"

Light laughter spread like wildfire through the room, Owen himself laughing the loudest.

"At first I thought you were kind of... well... really weird," she admitted, "but you turned out to be a pretty cool guy. From the beginning, you were making everybody laugh and cheering people up. Maybe if I was a little more outgoing, it would've worked on me a little more, but you've still managed to make me laugh a few times. And let's face it; that's not an easy task. Kudos."

"WOO!" Owen whooped, running over to Gwen and picking her up, ultimately blocking my view of the television. "Thanks, Gwen! And sorry for showboating before."

"It's okay. I'm over that," Gwen managed to squeak out before Owen let go of her. He sat down in her spot and offered her his lap. After glancing at Trent for a second (he didn't seem too upset about it--it's just Owen, after all), she sat on his lap.

Onscreen, Gwen began to talk about a certain ghetto girl. "Girl, you know there ain't no one more bootilicious than Leshawna."

The ghetto girl laughed heartily. "Oh, y'all gettin' good at that."

"Thank you," Gwen pretended to bow.

"Seriously," the praises for Leshawna were apparently not over, "I could not have asked for a more awesome friend. Shawny's had my back since day one; there's just no substitute for a friend like that."

"Now y'all just sucking up," Leshawna said, and our Gwen shook her head, laughing.

Onscreen, Gwen continued, this time talking about Bridgette. This confused me at first since Bridgette was gone before DJ, but then again she technically did know Bridgette longer--they were good friends even before the teams merged. "Bridge, I know you're modest and all, but you're really one of the coolest girls I've ever met. Seriously, all the things you told me, all your charity work and stuff, how are you still so modest?"

"Oh, come on, Gwen," Bridgette giggled, still in her own little realm of denial. "I'm not that great."

"Now who gave you that idea?" Geoff asked, his face closing in on hers. Another giggle or two later from Bridgette, and we were all greeted with a rather disturbing display of face-sucking.

I'd tell you about a few more things she said about Bridgette, but... I don't think even _she_ heard them, so moving on...

"DJ..." She paused, probably to give it some thought. "I didn't know him for very long, 'cause we were on different teams and all. I know that's no excuse, 'cause Bridge and I were on pretty good terms before the teams merged, but... I guess I didn't really make much of an effort. But that's beside the point.

"Deej is just an awesome guy," she continued. "He's got a heart of gold, and, dare I say, one buff bod." After smiling for a moment, she blinked and paled--more than usual--a somewhat horrified look on her face. "Please don't tell Trent I said that."

"Hey, what's wrong with _my_ bod?" Trent asked. I thought he was joking, but he actually looked serious.

"Nothing, Trent," she assured him.

Onscreen, DJ's praises continued. "Sure, he's kind of a scaredy-cat at times... which is kind of amusing, honestly. I mean, a tough looking guy like him... it's like an elephant being scared of a mouse, you know?"

DJ chuckled. "Did you have to compare me to an elephant?"

"It's the only analogy that works," she defended herself.

"Still, he's, like, the nicest guy ever." Onscreen, Gwen gave us a wink. "And he's single, ladies." She grinned evilly, folding her arms. "And now to watch the bloodshed. DJ, you better watch out. Fangirls can get vicious."

The gentle giant looked scared. "Uh, it's a good thing Chris ain't airing this. There ain't many things I can hide behind."

A chuckle or two later, I noticed something about the Gwen's mood in the clip. It didn't seem to be as, uh, "cheery" as it was when she was mentioning the other four. Sure, she was still smiling, but she was a little quieter, a little held back. A hell of a lot slower in her speech, too.

"And last but not least... Cody." She took a deep breath. Was she nervous or something? "I know, that might sound surprising, but... I'm serious." Her smile lessened. It was still there, but it was very mild. "I... literally only knew Cody for three days. And in those... three days," she paused for a moment, "...I--uh--my opinion of him... really changed." Another pause. "...I used to think he was just some stupid pervert having a hard time keeping it in his pants, but... in those three days I... saw something different. Very different."

At this point, I was hanging on every word, literally lost in her voice. I didn't notice the others around me anymore. I didn't even "feel" their stares. All I could focus on were the words spoken ever so beautifully from the definition of the perfect girl in my psyche.

"I wasn't quite sure what it was, though. Hell, I'm still not," she admitted. "But there was something different. It's too bad I never got to know exactly what that was. He's probably home right now, cheering me on." She chuckled to herself a little; God, I love that laugh... "But yeah. I may not have gotten to know him much at all, but... I guess I'm just glad to know that he's not _just_ a little pain in the ass. Nah, there's more to him than that."

I probably looked like a complete dork laughing at that.

"So yeah..." She paused for a moment, before smirking. "Oh, and girls, he's single, too." She winked again. "There, that should help you a little bit, Cody."

It must have been around this point that I was able to get back in touch with reality again, 'cause I found myself turning to Gwen, who chuckled at me. "Hey, you helped me out. I figured I'd return the favour."

I grinned, despite the fact that I could literally feel that my blush was no longer unnoticeable. "Hey, I'm the Codemeister, remember?" I joked. "I don't need any help with the ladies, you know that." I winked, solidifying the joke aspect of it, and she laughed a little louder.

Chris stopped the tape. "There, see? I'm not a completely asshole after all, am I?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," Noah muttered.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Noah, go away. No one likes you."

Ezekiel retaliated. "Ooh, I thoought yer name was 'Chris', not 'Nooah', eh."

Even Noah laughed as Chris stormed out of the room, fuming from his embarrassment.

Geoff congratulated the prairie dude. "Way to go, Homeschool!" He held up a hand for a high-five, but Ezekiel had mistaken it for a wave, so he waved back. "...Yeah, you gotta work on that, man."

-X-

"Mmm... Real food..."

I couldn't help myself, quickly attempting to hide my blushing and giggling as Gwen sat nearby at the table, her expression like one that would be accompanied by an angelic choir upon the sight of actual, edible food. Of course, it's not like she hasn't had _any_ food since the end of Total Drama Island, but after eight weeks of whatever the hell Chef served us, why wouldn't she be excited?

"Hey, Gwen?" Trent spoke up, and she reluctantly drew her attention away from the pigs in a blanket she was devouring. "You got a sec? I want to talk to you in private."

"Uh, okay. Sure." She eyed her meal for a second, almost looking slightly strained by the thought of leaving it, but left with her boyfriend anyway.

"What do y'all think they're gonna talk about?" Leshawna asked.

"Well, they did want it to be in private," Owen said, smirking. "Maybe they're gonna make out."

"Of course, nothing gets past your one track mind," I said matter-of-factly.

The big guy chuckled, and slowly inched his way toward the now vulnerable plate. I swatted his hand away. "No! No! Bad Owen!" I even made the motions with my index finger and everything. "Bad!" If only I had a rolled up newspaper and was brave enough to potty train him.

"But it's just sitting there! Waiting... pleading... begging to be eaten... How can I say no to that?"

"That's Gwen's food. You want another wedgie?"

"But it's sooooo delicious!" A waterfall appeared from Owen's mouth.

"You just ate, like, thirty of those pigs in a blanket."

"Aw, come oooooon!"

"No."

"Pleeeease?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"No."

"Aw, that always worked with my mom."

"..."

"...Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"No."

"Damn. ...Pretty please with sugar AND a cherry on top?"

"No."

"Aw, you're like a rock, man! Immovable!"

Gwen and Trent came back to the table at this time. And Owen was, of course, the first person to point something out. "I knew it! You were totally making out!"

"Uh... no."

"Then why does Trent look like a member of the Blue Man Group?"

Gwen rolled her eyes. "If you must know, Trent and I were talking, and I got a little excited and... kissed him a bunch--look, I'm really hungry right now, so please shut up."

"So what were you talking about?"

"Owen!"

"I got this," I said, and redid the whole "dog" routine. "No! No! Bad Owen! Bad!"

Owen attempted one of those cute puppy dog faces, but it didn't work on me.

"Bad Owen! Bad!"

"Okay, okay, I'll be quiet. Geesh!" ...It wasn't even five seconds. "I'm still hungry, though. Gwen, are you gonna eat all that?"

"Touch my food and die."

"Point taken."

"Here." Bridgette gave Owen her plate of carrots and peas, which Owen still didn't seem to have any problems with. "If it gets you to stop bothering Gwen."

"Oh, thank you!" Owen gobbled down the vegetables in one gulp. With a loud, thunderous burp, he relaxed. "I'm done." And he fell asleep, head crashing unto the table.

I turned to Gwen, noting her smile as Bridgette probably saved her from starvation. Something told me their grudge had ended then and there.

Though I have to admit... I did wonder what Gwen and Trent were talking about there. But, eh, it's none of my business. I mean, hell, they're a couple now. I don't want to be impeding their relationship. I shouldn't intrude on their conversations.

And I definitely don't want Gwen to hate me.

I almost made that mistake once. I'm not going to make it again.

**-X-**

**To Lady Jenevieve: You were confused about something that had to do with the "That's Off Chain" recap (Chapter 42/43, "Training Wheels"), and I tried to reply but you must have personal messages disabled because I couldn't get through. So I'm going to answer your question here.**

**I know I worded that a little awkwardly, and I take it you didn't see this episode (or at least this scene), unless you just forgot about it. Geoff is riding Gwen's bike, and DJ is riding Geoff's bike. Geoff forgot to use bolts for the bike he made, so DJ **_**did**_** crash first, and then Geoff crashed into him from behind. I hope that cleared up any confusion.**


	56. And Here We Go Again

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-Five: And Here We Go Again**_

All good things must come to an end, especially here at the Playa des Losers. And as much as we missed our friends and families back home, there was no denying the fact that we (well, most of us, anyway) would certainly miss some of the people we've met at Camp Wawanakwa.

I was no exception. Noah, Tyler, Owen, DJ, Izzy, and especially Gwen… I had a very horrible feeling that… that I would never see them again after this show was over.

Well, sure, there was always Facebook, but still… it's definitely not the same. And God, I knew I would miss her lovely voice…

I had confronted her about it that morning. "Gwen, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What?"

"Do… do you think we'll ever, uh, you know… get to see each other again?"

She just smiled. "You know, Trent asked me the exact same thing yesterday."

"…He did?" I had no idea why she thought it was a good idea to mention, well, what I assumed was their "private conversation" yesterday.

"Mm-hmm," she nodded. "He was worried that a long distance relationship would be difficult. As it turns out, though," she tried to hide her blush, "we're both planning to go to the same university." She rubbed her arm, sighing. "That's why I was excited, in case you were wondering."

"Yeah…" Well, it wasn't so much that I was wondering, but she was talking to me. That's a plus, right? "So… what do you think? Do you think we'll get to see each other again?"

"Maybe." I frowned—_so_ not the answer I was looking for. And she must have caught on. "Uh, I'm sure we will, Cody." She placed a hand on my shoulder. I nearly melted. "Chris will probably bring us back for some sort of reunion special or some crap."

I chuckled. "Well, let's just hope it's not here."

"Way to go, Cody. Jinx it for us, why don't you?"

At this moment, I felt something smack upside my head, and I fell over.

"Oh, crap!"

"Well, looks like you already jinxed yourself," Gwen joked, helping me up. "And Tyler, why the hell are you throwing Frisbees indoors?"

"I wanted to know if Cody wanted to come outside and play Frisbee. There's a camera crew out there, too. I think the producers are setting up another documentary day or something."

"Ah, why not?" I turned to Gwen. "You wanna join us?"

"Nah," she declined. "I'm probably gonna go stay by the pool, hang out with my boyfriend, stuff like that." She blushed at the word "boyfriend." "I'll talk to you later though, okay?"

Of course, I smiled at that. "I'm looking forward to it already."

She rolled her eyes. "What am I going to do with you, Cody?"

"Whatever you want to, baby," I said slyly, winking.

"And there goes my lunch," Tyler mumbled, still waiting. "So are you coming or not?"

-X-

Sure enough, there were cameras at the Playa des Losers yet again, but we all continued to enjoy ourselves. Chef was actually cooking some edible food on the grill for once, and Owen and Izzy were celebrating the former's win at the buffet table, with Ezekiel and Eva looking on.

As Tyler and I played with the Frisbee, I began to think that maybe Tyler should try Frisbee Golf for a sport. I mean, think about it—sure, he can't catch the damn thing worth a darn, but he can throw it pretty well.

Tyler had instructed me to go long, and (I swear, I didn't even plan this out) I managed to end up right next to Gwen (and Trent, but you know… whatever) at the pool. Huh. Go figure.

It was also about this time that a cameraman had walked up to the pool. Figuring I might as well be the one to speak up…

"Alright!" I said, catching the Frisbee. "No more challenges or alliances!" Okay, I know this sounds absolutely fake, but whatever. It's for the fans at home. Deal with it. "We can finally just hang!" I threw the Frisbee back to Tyler…

…and lost my balance.

**SPLASH!**

"Cody!" I heard as I surfaced. "Are you alright?"

I turned to Gwen and Trent, the former being my addresser. "Been better," I admitted, chuckling nervously.

"Epic wipeout, man," Trent said, giving me a thumbs up. I returned it, earning a laugh from Gwen.

"I'll never understand boys," she admitted.

"That's okay," Trent added, "'cause we don't understand girls. Right, Cody?"

"As much as I want to admit otherwise, he's right," I conceded, heading for the pool ladder. Before I made it out, though, we all heard a thunderous belch from a certain loony redhead—one so powerful that it caused waves in the pool, and Lindsay and Beth were swept to our end without warning.

"That… was hot," I mumbled.

Then, from afar, another voice cried out. "I'll win you over, Leshawna! I love you!"

Sure enough, Shawny was coming our way. "Poor Harold," she sighed sorrowfully. "I like him and all, but I wish he could see that I don't like him… like that, you know? But he's starting to get on my nerves, and—"

The Frisbee flew over my head and overshot several meters. "Oh, would you look at that," I said rather quickly. "The Frisbee. What do you know?" I ran toward it, secretly thanking Tyler for throwing the Frisbee a little too far.

Finally retrieving the Frisbee, I returned to throw it back, but my mind still must have been preoccupied with Leshawna's words, because I didn't do a very good job at throwing it this time. In other words, it ended up skimming across the water, and somehow smacked Tyler upside the head, sending him into the water.

My eyes widened. "Holy crap!" But before I could do anything, DJ jumped in to save Tyler.

Ironically, it was Tyler who pulled an unconscious DJ back out.

"Whoa…" I cupped my face in shock. "That was freaky." My eyes darted around the pool, and at one point I noticed the pictures lying next to Gwen. My interest now sparked, and since I figured Tyler had everything covered, I knelt down next to Gwen and her pictures. "Who are these guys?"

Gwen picked up the photos and showed them to me. "My friends back home."

"Cool." I took notice of one picture, and chuckled. "That guy's got a funny chin."

"You should talk, Jay Leno," Trent said.

"Up yours, Butt-Chin."

"Butt-Chin?" Trent was speechless after that one, and I chuckled as his face contorted into some weird expression I couldn't even decipher.

"Hey, I better check on Deej," I told them, getting up. "Catch you later."

As I left, I could hear Trent question Gwen. "…Butt-Chin?" Gwen just laughed.

I closed my eyes for a moment, sighing over the fact that I just made Gwen laugh. Unfortunately, it was a moment too long, as I unwittingly ran into someone.

"Ow!" I fell over, and looked up. Oh, crap…

"Watch where you're going, dweeb!" Heather growled, an insecure hand unconsciously rubbing her bald head, despite there being no possible way I could have hit her there. Not wanting to infuriate the queen bee any more than I needed to, I quietly obliged.

I didn't quite make it to DJ and Tyler, though.

Why?

Well… how should I put this? Let's just say all time seemed to stop when we heard the loud footsteps of sneakers on the hard floor.

I turned around… and groaned.

Great…

"What's he doing here?" I glanced behind me, spotting an angry Tyler and a newly revived DJ.

"Well, chances are we'll find out very soon," I muttered, leading the jocks back to the pool.

"Hello, campers!" the evil host greeted, setting down the suitcase he was carrying.

"That's ex-campers to you," Duncan reminded him. They were unfortunate enough to be standing right in front of the egotistical man known as Chris McLean.

"Yeah. Your twisted game is over, remember?" Heather added.

Chris whispered something to Chef at this time, but I didn't catch it. It couldn't have been good, though, considering their chuckles.

"Congratulations to our winner," Chris began, turning his attention toward: "Owen, you played hard, fought hard, ate hard, and farted harder. Not sure why, but you beat every other person on this island, and your pockets will soon be stuffed with ched-dar!"

We cheered for the big lug. Maybe Chris really did come in peace after all.

"But what I'm about to offer you may change all that." Okay, I take that back. "Inside this case is one. Million. Dollars!" Whoa, what?! "We had our PAs make a cardboard check of this awesome new prize."

The ground shook, and a shadow loomed over us. What the heck was…?

HO-LY _CRAP!_

"WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF CARDBOARD TO MAKE THIS!!"

Yeah, no kidding!

"Owen, my man," the devil tempted, "this million dollars could be yours. All you have to do is figure out where we are about to hide it and bring it back to the Dock of Shame before anyone else does."

Oh, boy…

Gwen spoke up. "Are you telling us that we all have a chance of winning a million dollars?"

"Yup!" Chris confirmed. "What do you say, Owen? Will you settle for a hundred G's? Or… ONE MILLION DOLLARS?!"

Insert Jeopardy theme here.

Seriously, you could see the gears turning in Owen's head. But eventually he came to a decision.

"Game on, baby!" Owen laughed. "Yeah!"

"That's the spirit, Owen," Chris said as Chef tore up the C$100,000 check. "Through-out the day, I'll give you all hints from the loudspeakers to make sure you're not completely lost." A crewmember had taken the million dollar case during his speech. "Alright, campers. The ultimate million dollar challenge starts…" He held up a cork gun. "NOW!" He fired the cork, which hit a bird.

Owen whooped as he ran off. "Here I come, million dollars!"

I glared at Chris and Chef, arms crossed, as they turned to the rest of us. Judging by the looks on their faces, I wasn't the only one pissed. How can they honestly expect us to go along with this charade after all the crap they put us through? It would just be more of the same! Was it even worth trying?

"Let me get this straight." I couldn't see Heather's eyes from this angle, but I could only imagine they were burning with flames. "After messing with our heads for an entire summer, you expect us to start running around the island like idiots all over again?"

Chris smiled. "That's right."

"But how do we know you didn't stuff that suitcase with bricks or something?" Leshawna asked.

"You don't," Chris admitted.

Noah walked over to the buffet. "I'd love to play another round of Humiliate the Teens, but I've got a buffet to eat."

Duncan, Courtney, and Eva had opinions of their own as well. They were strikingly similar to ours.

Finally, Chris caved in. Sort of. "Fine. Suit yourselves. I'm sure Owen will be happy to have no competition…" he held his hands together, smiling, "while he makes the easiest million dollars in TV history."

"Fine!" Gwen shouted.

"Fine!" Lindsay added.

"Yeah, right," Justin agreed.

And that's when we heard a voice echo in the distance.

"ALRIGHT!! I'M GONNA BE RICH!!"

The voice was accompanied by near-maniacal laughter, and I tried to whistle a tune to drown it out, as well as any thoughts revolving around the one… million.... dollars…

…

Not even ten seconds later, I was struggling desperately to get out of a pile of greedy teenagers.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Beth suddenly spoke up. "Let's work together as a team. We can split the prize twenty-two ways and share it!"

…

Yeah, Beth, have you met these people? That ain't happening.

-X-

Somehow we had all managed to get out of that scuffle. Noticing that many of the others were grouping up into teams, I instinctively headed for Gwen…

And my path was suddenly blocked.

"Owen?" I was shocked to see the big lug standing before me.

Tyler and DJ appeared from behind him. "The dude was just wandering around aimlessly. He ain't gonna find the money like that," DJ pointed out. "How's about we team up? Split the money four ways?"

"250 G's is greater than a hundred," Owen nodded. "I'm in."

I gave it some thought, and shrugged. "Why not? I'm in, too." After all, Gwen probably doesn't want anyone but Trent following her around. And maybe Leshawna.

After Tyler agreed to it, Owen and DJ high-fived. "A guys-only team!" Owen cheered. "This is awesome!"

"Yeah!" Tyler shouted, pumping his fists into the air. "Guys rule! I've been hitting the weights since I got here." I chuckled on the inside. What weights? "Working on my fierceness-ness."

"Get over yourself." Eva suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere, shoving Tyler down as she and Noah walked past us.

Izzy showed up soon after, laughing at the fallen jock. "That was funny! You stupid guy!"

Oh, I could already tell this was going to be one heck of a day…

**-X-**

**I know this chapter is short, but I wanted to get it out of the way. I also felt that this would make a good ending to the chapter—the action hasn't quite started yet, after all. Though I probably will end up splitting the action up in the next chapter. I'll make sure, though, to end it with a cliffhanger.**

**I apologize if this feels rushed. I really wanted to come up with SOMETHING for the beginning especially, but… I didn't have quite a lot in mind, as you can see. But at least the mystery of Gwen and Trent's mystery conversation of the last chapter was resolved.**


	57. Math? In MY Fanfiction?

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-Six: Math? In MY Fanfiction?**_

"So, where do you think the case is gonna be?" DJ asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"If we knew that, it wouldn't be much of a challenge, would it?" I reminded him.

"Yeah, I know, I know… but it's gotta be some place we wouldn't expect, right?"

"Unless he thinks that's what we'd think, in which he would probably put it in a place where we _would_ expect it if we weren't thinking it would be in a place where we would expect… wait…" I tried to think about what I just said and whether or not that was said right.

"But what if he would expect that we would expect that he wouldn't expect us to expect that he would expect—"

"SHUT UP!" Tyler shouted. "You're making my brain hurt!"

"What were we talking about again?" Owen asked.

"We're trying to think of where the case would probably be," I explained. "What do you think, Owen? Do you think Chris would put the case in a place where we would most expect it to be or least expect it to be?"

"Well, what if it's in the middle?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, what if it's some place that we would sort of expect but not expect enough that it would be the first place or the last place we would look?"

After realizing what he just said, I groaned. "Oh, great. Another variable."

"Ah, so that's why it's so confusing," Tyler said. "It's Algebra."

"So, what do you suppose are our chances of finding the case?" DJ asked me.

I gave it some thought. "Well… there's four of us, so… four divided by twenty-two… same as two divided by eleven, so roughly twenty percent, a little less…"

"But if we ain't splitting up, we ain't coverin' as much ground," DJ noted. "Wouldn't it be different?"

"Probably," I admitted, "but the more people in our group, the more likely we'll be able to spot it when we come across it. One of us could see something the others hadn't."

"Good point."

"So now what?" Tyler asked, scratching his head.

"What do you mean? We keep looking," I told him. "Who knows? The case probably isn't that hard to find. I mean, Chris does get bored easily. He wouldn't put it in a place where no one would find it. That'd be boring."

"Unless he's expecting us to think that," Owen added.

"Please don't start that again," Tyler groaned, holding his temples.

"Hey, uh… guys!" We turned to find Ezekiel waving over at us. "Ya find the case yet, eh?"

"Hey!" Beth and Lindsay ran up to the toque-wearing teen. "Don't help them! We need to find the cashe firsht!"

"And you call us girls dummies," Lindsay said innocently, before spotting, well… "Tyrone!" She ran up to Tyler, glomping him in ways that would make any straight boy jealous. "Did you find the case yet?"

Beth groaned. So much for proving her point.

"Guys," DJ got our attentions, "sorry to break this up, but… there is a million dollars on the line." He smiled. "And isn't there someone we really don't want the money to go to?"

"Oh, right!" Lindsay recalled. "Hannah! We gotta make sure Hannah doesn't get the million dollars!"

"Hannah?" Ezekiel tapped his chin. "Who's Hannah?"

"I think she means Heather," Tyler pointed out.

"Ooh. …Who's Heather?"

"Seriously?"

"Ooh, wait, is she the one that lost her hair, eh?"

"Yes," Tyler confirmed.

"Ooh, ookay. I thought her name sounded familiayr."

I tried to tell the two to break it up so we could keep looking for the case, but for some reason I just couldn't find myself to speak when they were.

"Soo, oom, we haven't found the case either, yet."

"I can see that."

"Soorry, soorry, just tryin' to make coonversation, eh."

"I can see that, too."

"Soo, oom… can we have Lindsay back?"

"Uh… can you wait a few seconds?"

"Why?"

"Dude, you've never had a girlfriend before, have you?"

"Uh…"

"Guys, we _really _should get going," DJ, once again, stepped in, and finally our group broke away from theirs. It was a good thing, too. For some reason, my throat was starting to hurt just listening to them…

-X-

"Alright, if we were to look for the case in a place where we would least expect it, where would we go?" I asked DJ a few minutes later.

Tyler groaned. "Not again…"

"But what if Chris expects us to—"

"Provided that Chris didn't put that much thought into it," I added quickly.

"Oh." DJ gave it some thought. "Well… what about the lodge? Who would think to go in there?"

"What if it is?" I asked. "No one wants to deal with Chef—he probably put it in Chef's fridge."

Owen's eyes lit up. "F-f-fridge?" He gasped with delight. "Well it wouldn't hurt to, heh heh, check it out, would it?"

Tyler rolled his eyes. "We're not checking the lodge."

"Why not?" I inquired.

"I don't think Chris would put the case so close to the dock."

"…True. So what, you think it's in the woods?"

"We don't have much choice," DJ admitted, shuddering. "Man, I hate going into those woods."

-X-

We spent about an hour and a half searching those woods. Not many significant words were uttered, other than occasional stories of Tyler's "accomplishments" in sports (honestly, I doubt they were true), Owen's weird family moments, DJ's phobias, and my gadgets. Needless to say, I doubt most girls would be interested in anything we had to say.

At one point, we had almost given up.

"I give up!" Owen panted, falling on his hands and knees. "So… much… walking…"

"Dude, you gotta keep going, man!" Tyler urged. "250 G's, man!"

"I should… have kept… the hundred grand," Owen admitted.

I frowned upon looking at Owen's condition. Concerned, I stood up for the big guy. "I don't need the money, guys. Maybe we should just stop here."

"No, we can do this!" Tyler exclaimed. "I believe in our team!" He turned to Owen and held him up by his face, smacking him once to "unrattle" his brain. "Come on, Owen! Think of all the Twinkies you can buy with 250 grand!"

"…Twinkies?" Owen beamed, his pupils dialated. Chuckling, he stood up, now having that famous food-inspired second wind. "Million dollars, here we come!"

"Yes!" Tyler cheered. "That's the spirit!"

"Now let's just hope no one else got to the money first," DJ said, glad that we were a team again.

And that's when the all-too-familiar feedback of the intercom system pierced the air. "Okay, this is pathetic, campers," we heard over the loudspeaker. "It's been two hours now, and no one has even come close to finding the suitcase."

"Well there you go, DJ," I said, nodding.

"So here's the first clue: it's just… hanging around."

Once Chris's message had ended, Tyler groaned. "Oh, great… Some clue, Chris! Like that's going to help us find the damn case."

"Let's just keep looking," DJ said. "I'm sure we'll come across it eventually."

"I hope you're right," I added, though secretly I was beginning to doubt that we were going to find the case. It's been two hours, and apparently we weren't even close to finding jack crap. What are the odds that we would be the first ones to find it?

-X-

Well, despite the odds against us…

"There it is!" DJ suddenly shouted during our search, and we stopped dead in our tracks. "I see it!"

What? I turned around, surprised. "Where?"

"Right there in the tree!" DJ pointed up to said tree.

Sure enough…

It was "hanging around," alright. Hanging by a rope tied to a tree branch, that is.

"YEEES!!" the boys cried, pumping their arms into the air.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Go DJ! Good thing we didn't split up.

Tyler started climbing up the tree.

"You da man!" DJ.

"Go for it!" Me.

"Yeah! You're the man!" Owen.

**THUNK!**

…Ouch. Poor Tyler.

The jock sat up. "Almost had it." He got up and climbed up the tree again.

"Go for it!" Me.

"You da man!" DJ.

"Yeah, you're still the man! Yeah! Still the man." Owen.

**THUNK!**

…

Maybe… maybe someone else should climb the tree?

"This… close…" Tyler whimpered painfully, before getting up to climb the tree one more time.

…

Yep, silence. This was actually starting to look pretty sad…

…Wait.

He got it!

The case dropped in Owen's hands, surprising even him.

YES!

GO TYLER!

GO—

**THUNK!**

—TYLER!

YEAH!

Tyler gave us a thumbs up from the ground, now covered with the rope the case was hanging from.

"We found the million! We found the million!" we chanted, dancing about the fact that… well… we found the million! Ha, ha!

"Dock of Shame, here we come!" Owen exclaimed, and was about to run off, but he was stopped by DJ. "…What?"

"Why should you carry it?" DJ asked, suspicious.

It took me a second, but I understood what DJ was talking about. I had never thought about that. Four people… it _would_ be easy for one of us to…

No, these guys wouldn't backstab me—uh, us, would they?

…

"What difference does it make?" Tyler asked, confused.

"Chris did say that the first person on the dock with the case wins," I pointed out to him.

"No offence, but who says he won't take off with the money?" DJ asked.

Owen handed the case over to DJ. "Okay, then you carry it."

And now, _I_ was suspicious. DJ was the one to bring up backstabbing in the first place. What if _he_ had something in mind? "What if he ditches us and makes a run for it?"

"This is crazy!" Tyler shouted as I tried to come up with a plan. "How are we all going to keep an eye out for each other?"

Hmm…

I looked down. Hey, the… the rope…

"I know!" I picked up the rope. "How about we tie ourselves together!"

"…I'm sorry?" Tyler asked, a little disturbed.

"Well, no one can run off with the case if we're stuck together," I pointed out.

"…True."

DJ shrugged. "Well, what other choice do we have?"

"Aw, this is going to be so cool," Owen clapped. "Being tied up to you guys and winning the mon—wait, that came out wrong."

-X-

I finished tying the knot. Perfect! I knew watching those after-school specials would pay off eventually. "There! That should hold. Now there's no breaking up this team."

"Ye-hes!" Tyler exclaimed, and I turned back to him, a little amused by the fact that he was sorta sandwiched between two powerhouses. Let's hope we won't trip, or he'd be… squished…

…

Crap, if we trip, I'll be on the bottom, won't I?

…Oh, well. We'll just not have to trip.

Tyler picked up the suitcase. "Alright. Let's put this baby to bed."

We began to walk forward… and it wasn't long before we realized the difficulties of this set-up. We kept bumping into each other, for one thing. And if it wasn't bad enough…

Insert fart here.

"Oh, man!"

"Who cut the cheese?"

"Uh, guys?" Owen nervously got our attention. "I kinda have to go…"

"So turn around and take a whiz!" DJ told him. "We're all dudes here."

"No, not number one," Owen said ominously (…well, it was ominous to us). "Number poo…"

Oh. …Great…

"Head for the woods, dude," DJ told him. "Just make sure you put some serious distance between us."

"Yeah, we'll wait here," Tyler assured him.

Agreeing, Owen tried to walk away… and dragged us with him.

"You got to untie yourself first, man!" DJ said.

Owen tried to undo himself, but couldn't. "I can't!"

Uh-oh. I started working on the knot. It wouldn't loosen.

…Crap…

"Where did you learn these knots? The army?" DJ asked me.

"Actually, it was a special after-school—"

"And you!" Apparently, DJ's question was rhetorical. "Why didn't you go before we tied ourselves together?"

"I didn't have to go then!" Owen whined, before letting out another fart. "Aw, come on, guys! This is serious!"

…Oh, man…

We… we really do have no choice now, do we?

Ugh…

"You're just gonna have to… go," DJ said reluctantly. No doubt he was wasn't any more excited about it than I was. Or Tyler.

We stepped back so Owen could duck behind the bush.

…

Oh, dear God!

Ugh!

Aw, man, Owen, for someone who eats a lot, you REALLY need to eat more fiber! GOD!

And less beans, too, PLEASE!!

Tyler set the case down to wave his hand in front of his face. DJ and I followed suit with the waving, hoping to wave the stink away.

"What do I wipe with? Bark?" Owen questioned.

No one bothered to answer him.

"All done!" THANK GOD!

"Let's move!" DJ commanded, and I turned to look where Tyler set down the case.

I panicked.

"The case! It's gone!"

"What?!" DJ looked around. "Where did it go?"

"Aw, man! This is my fault!" Tyler slapped himself in the forehead.

"Calm down, guys!" Owen spoke up. "Someone probably snagged it from us. We just have to look for whoever did it."

"Easier said than done." I rubbed my forehead. "We don't even know who took it."

"Looks like we've got to do more searching again," DJ sighed.

"They couldn't have gone far, could they?" I pondered as we moved forward.

"You're not going to go all mathematical again on me, are you?" Tyler groaned.

-X-

"Okay, seriously, where could our culprit have possibly gone?" I asked, a little frustrated, mostly at myself for tying such a friggin' tight knot in the first place. I wasn't sure how long we were looking for him, her, them, whoever took the case from us, but it was quite a long while. If I were to guess, roughly a half an hour.

"AAAAAAAAHH!!"

"What the heck?" I was taken back by the sudden, rather faint scream in the distance.

It sort of sounded like...

"Was that Heather?" DJ asked. I just shrugged, but that's who I thought it was, too.

"I bet it was," Tyler said. "Who else can scream like that?"

"Attention campers!" Chris's voice suddenly boomed over the loudspeakers. "The case is wet! Repeat, the case is wet!"

"So... it's in the lake?" Tyler asked.

I groaned. "Aw, man! Our culprit's probably close to the docks, then! There's no way we can catch up, now!"

"Screw that!" DJ disagreed. "Nobody's won yet, and we ain't givin' up until we either win or lose this thing! Who's with me?"

"To the guys-only team!" Owen cheered, and Tyler joined him.

...Oh, what the heck? I smiled at the guys. "Alright, let's get that case back!"

"Yeah!" Owen whooped. "Let's get that case back!"

"He just said that," DJ chuckled.

"Dude's like a broken record," Tyler said, patting Owen's shoulder.

"So, where to now?" I asked DJ.

"Hmm... Let's go back to the dock. If no one's there, and we're still in the running, then we head up the river."

"Great idea," I praised, then frowned as I looked around the forest. "Uh... Which way's the dock, exactly?"

"I think it's that way." DJ pointed ahead.

"You sure?"

"Not entirely, but do you have any bright ideas?"

"Like your tying-us-together idea," Tyler muttered.

"Hey, you agreed to it," I defended myself. I turned my attention back to DJ. "Well, if you think we should go this way..."

-X-

"Maybe we shouldn't have gone this way," DJ muttered through chattering teeth. The woods became more dense as we walked through them, and something told me we went in the wrong direction after all.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Tyler panicked. "We're lost!"

"Calm down!" I cried. "We'll make it out of here. I promise."

"But what if we get eaten by a bear?" Owen asked innocently.

DJ screamed bloody-murder, then turned to Owen angrily. "DUDE! That is SERIOUSLY not the kind of thing I want to think of right now! Or EVER!"

"Wow, touchy..."

...

Hey, that's...

"Look!" I pointed to something off in the distance. "The river!"

"Alright!" Owen shouted excitedly. "We can find the lake from here!"

"Or maybe the case," DJ pointed out. "It could be downstream."

"Good thinking," Tyler complimented, and we followed the current of the stream.

Along the way, we passed by a peculiar beaver dam...

"...Is that...?"

"Keep moving," I interrupted Owen. "Keep moving."

"Hey! Is someone there? Hello! Get me out of here!"

"Keep quiet, no sudden sounds," I whispered, and we stepped past the beaver dam. Once we were a safe distance away, I turned to the boys. "We saw nothing."

They agreed.

-X-

We reached the lake, but there was no sign of case. There was, however, a punk sitting on the beach holding his ankle.

"You okay, Duncan?" Owen asked, concerned.

Duncan only smirked. "Never better. Would have been nicer if I still had that hundred G's."

"Wait, _you_ took it from us?" I asked, a somewhat bitter tone in my voice, admittedly.

"No, Courtney and I found it in the lake." After about a three second pause... "Okay, Lindsay, Dorky Kid, and What's-His-Face found it in the lake, and we took it from them, but Izzy took it, and... you know, it's a long story, and honestly I don't see why you care." He chuckled. "You should have seen me, though. I wrestled an alligator."

"Awesome, man!" DJ, Owen, and Tyler whooped.

"Yep. But something tells me that I won't be winning any million bucks today," he muttered. "I sprained my ankle."

"That's too bad," DJ sympathized.

"So did Courtney go for help?" I asked.

"No. She just ran off with the case." He sighed happily. "I love that woman..."

...Okaaaay...

"Guys, million dollars," Owen reminded us. Oh, right.

As we walked away, the punk spoke up once more. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Duncan smirked at us evilly. "You guys haven't seen the last of me, that's for sure."

I wasn't so sure if that was meant to be ominous or not... but it damn sure felt like it.

-X-

It wasn't long after we ran into Duncan that we heard Chris's voice on the loudspeaker one more time. "Attention, campers. The case is now somewhere beautiful and headed towards camp."

Well, on the bright side, the person wasn't _at_ the campsite.

"Maybe we should check the woods again?" I asked. There were no real objections--even DJ remained indifferent. After all, if the person with the case indeed was close to camp, we probably wouldn't be able to get the case back on time anyway.

So it was decided: we would go into the woods.

So how good a call was it?

It wasn't even five minutes...

-X-

"So, somewhere beautiful, eh?" DJ pondered. "Chris has had some sort of gimmick with each of these. Who do you think has it?"

"Probably Lindsay," Tyler swooned. "She's very beautiful..."

"Or Gwen..." I cooed, and for a brief moment I daydreamed that one dream I had. You know the one. Hehehe...

...Uh, you don't? Oh, come on. The underwear, black rose in teeth, spotlight dance one--yeah, that one.

It didn't last too long, though, because Owen's voice broke my thoughts. "Or Justin."

Tyler chuckled. "I hope Izzy doesn't find out about that, Owen."

"No, I mean, look!" He gestured toward a clearing in the forest. Sure enough, Justin was there, walking with the case in hand.

Tyler cackled. "Time to get our case back."

We stepped in front of the male model, Owen being the first to speak. "I think you have something that belongs to us."

"Come and get it," Justin taunted. Oh, he's just begging for it, now.

Wait...

What the hell was...?

Was that a chicken bone?

Though Justin was caught off guard for a second, he laughed it off. "That the best you got?"

"No!" Owen quickly answered.

"Hey, where did you get that chicken wing?" Tyler whispered to Owen.

"I've got an extra bunch from the party in my pockets," Owen whispered back. "Want one?"

"Guys!" DJ got their attentions. "Focus! We've got a case to take back! And we're not falling for your pretty boy games this time. Right, Owen?"

"Whaaa...? OH! Right!"

"Now give us the case, or we'll mess you up!" Tyler threatened.

Justin responded with a simple "No."

...

Boy... we sure showed Justin...

"What do we do now?" Tyler asked the group.

Ugh! How can we possibly pull one over on... Jus...tin...

...

I got it!

"Look!" I gestured in a random direction. "The paparazzi!"

The narcissistic model that he is, Justin instinctively posed for "the cameras" (though I guess technically he did), and we knocked him down, Owen grabbing the case in the process.

"Pleasure doing business with ya!"

Now victorious, we whooped and hollered all the way to...

...the cliff.

Now, how the heck did we...?

"Now what?" Tyler asked, a little frustrated. Always one step forward and two steps back with us, isn't it?

**GROOOOWL...**

Oh... crap...

I turned around, hoping I didn't hear what I thought I--

OH CRAP!!

And Owen just laughed. "I'll bet it's Izzy in there." He grabbed hold of the bear's mouth and pried it open. "Izzy... can you hear me?" he called... in the bear's mouth.

Owen, I just survived a bear attack a little over a month ago. I don't want to get mauled AGAIN.

The bear growled in Owen's face. Apparently I don't have much say in the matter, do I? Not that I did the first time, either.

"It's not Izzy!" Owen cried worriedly.

Of course, the four of us did what we could only do at a time like this.

Scream like four year old girls.

And... remember who we're tied to...

Owen.

So, put two and two together...

And you get four... guys dangling off a cliff.

And guess who the lucky bastard was that was holding us all up...

**-X-**

**I told you I was ending this on a cliffhanger. ; ) *brick'd***

**I JUST finished this chapter, which means I have yet to type anything for my next one. As such, I'm not sure if I will be able to get yet another one done during the weekend. But then again, it IS the weekend. Maybe I can pull something out of my butt and finally finish part one of possibly three. I hear there's going to be a fourth season, by the way. If I wasn't already busy enough. XD Nah, I kid. This is actually a lot of fun when I know what I'm doing. Unfortunately, I don't always know what I'm doing. Hence the occasional writer's blocks. But thankfully, unlike some of my past projects, I have yet to show any signs of abandonment of this one, and hopefully it stays that way. : )**

**I'm sorry if you were expecting some Gwen/Cody friendship in there at some point. Looking through the episode, there is one point I probably could have done it quite easily (around the point where the boys find Heather, in the show Gwen's group finds Heather... roughly around this time, considering it's around the time Duncan sprains his ankle). But I figured the chapter was getting long enough, and I had nothing planned for it. Don't worry, there will be **_**something. **_**I guarantee it. : )**

**Also, again, if it feels rushed, I apologize. I'm doing the best I can to both get through this as fast as I can without ruining quality, and at the same time actually try to give it quality. XD It's never an easy task.**


	58. She's Full of Hot Air

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-Seven: She's Full of Hot Air**_

"HEEEEELLLLP!!"

Oh, man... If only I could scream like Heather...

Yeah, you'd think I could, especially when I'm holding up two jocks and a fat guy while hanging from a thousand-foot-high cliff... But no, my cries for help didn't quite reach anyone that could possibly save us.

I could hear the others screaming for help as well, and Tyler shouting, "Pull us up!" So much for realism, but...

I struggled. ...Well, no crap, that goes without saying.

But it... was actually working...

Remember waaaaay back when we were all on that survival challenge, and I was helping Gwen up the tree? That adrenaline boost that somehow made me stronger for a brief lapse of time?

That same adrenaline boost was back tenfold.

"YUUUGH!" I managed to peer over the now lovely looking ground. We could make it! We could actually--

And the chunk of cliff gave way.

"AAAAAAAHHH!!" Oh, God! This is it! We're gonna die! WE'RE GONNA--

OWW!!

What the heck did we hit--wait, we stopped falling!

...Wait... are we... floating?!

Owen cried out in pain, and I looked up. Wait, is that a hot air balloon?

Wait... is that COURTNEY?!

"DAVID AND GOLIATH!!" Owen cried. "My ankle can't hold on much longer!"

"COURTNEY!!" I shouted up desperately to the girl in the gondola. "SAVE US! PULL US UP!!"

"Give me the case," she said in a sing-song tone, "and I will."

Is she SERIOUS?!

WE'RE ABOUT TO FALL TO OUR DEATHS!!

"No way!" Tyler shouted, not wanting to give the case up.

"Okay, then..." Wait! Courtney, no! AAAAAAAAHHH!!

"You wouldn't let us fall to our deaths!" DJ cried, more horrified than ever from what I could tell (and that's saying something).

"Oh, yes, I would!" Oh, such a sweet, non-antagonistic girl. "I don't even _like_ you very much!" Oh, such a nice, lovely person, and clearly not evil in any way. The model of perfection is Courtney.

Though I guess, in a morbid sense, we kinda had it coming. Especially Tyler and me.

But back to the action. Obviously, still horrified down here! And remember, I don't really care all that much about the money. Heck, I'm going to be honest with you--I probably would've split my share with Gwen if we won this.

So, in my panic, I was willing to bargain with the crazed CIT. "Guys?" I whispered to my team. "I think we should offer to split it with her. Yeah?"

I must have forgot that just because I didn't care as much about the money, that didn't mean the others were willing to bargain as well. Especially with the (by definition) terrorist threatening our lives.

"Don't do it! I can save us!" And with that, Owen began doing something... quite miraculous.

He managed to reach his ankle and grab hold of the boom we were hanging from.

To this day, I still don't know how he did that, but damn, am I thankful!

Owen grabbed hold of the ropes of the gondola, and as long as he held on to that, we were safe.

At least until Courtney lowered the balloon over the forest and ran us into the trees...

Ow.

OW!

AAAAH!!

AWGH!! ...Ow... of course... crotch shot. Stupid branch...

...Wait...

What's...?

Oh... my... GOD!!

"BEAR!!" Owen shouted.

Yep. There was a bear... on the boom.

I would have probably wondered if he remembered me, but instead my mind was clouded with other thoughts, like AAAAAAHHH!!

"The case is almost at the campgrounds," I heard over the intercom. Oh, sure. He probably can see _everything_ that's happening, including the friggin' bear that's about to _friggin' kill us! _"Get your butts in gear, people! It's a million big ones!"

The bear was getting closer. Squirming to get away from the bear, I somehow managed to swing myself upward a little ways, almost kicking the bear in the head in the process.

That gave me an idea.

I swung myself a little more, moving the boys as well. The rope was luckily loose enough for us to do this more easily, but tight enough that none of us fell out of the bind. With enough effort (especially from the others once they caught on to what I was doing), I managed to swing up high enough to reach the rope.

"The camp!" Owen cried as I struggled to pull us into the gondola. I looked down briefly. Sure enough, the cabins were below us.

But I had a bigger agenda right now--saving us.

And I doubt the gondola will break apart like the cliff edge did.

"Hurry, guys!" Owen shouted, before I pulled us into the gondola. We looked over the side, watching the bear. Well, at least for now, we'll be alri--WHOA!!

"Guys?" I called to them as the pressure from the headlock Courtney was applying on me was starting to take effect. "I--Oh, OW!!" Why aren't they helping?

"GIVE IT TO ME!!" Good thing Duncan's not here. This isn't the best moment for inappropriate jokes. "I got us into the campgrounds. It's mine!" Well, she has a point...

And no, I'm not just saying that just because I'M the one in the headlock...

"No way, sister!" Oh, come on, Owen!

"Try to take that case, and I'll mess you up!" Thanks for making it worse, Tyler...

"Guys?" I bargained again. "Maybe we can work out an arrangement--"

"NO!" Well, that was unanimous.

Feeling a little hopeless about our situation, I looked over the side (rather easy to do from my position, actually), trying to see where the bear was, when I could have sworn I saw... Nah, Leshawna's not _that_ crazy. And where could she have gotten an ATV from?

...Then again, where could Courtney have gotten a friggin' hot air balloon from?

Wait...

Is that...?

"GWEN!" I shouted, despite the fact that all logic pointed to "there's no way in hell she could get us down anyway." Then again, I am desperate. "HELP!"

She and Trent looked up at us, wide-eyed. "HOLY CRAP!!"

"Dude!" Trent shouted. "There's a bear hanging from--"

"WE KNOW!!" everyone shouted from the gondola.

"Attention, campers!" the loudspeakers blasted again. "The case is still in play! Don't give up now!"

"SHUT UP, CHRIS!!" Even Owen was sick of that guy.

"We'll find a way to get you down!" Gwen called back up to us.

"How?" DJ asked.

There was a long pause, followed by, "We don't know!"

Crap.

"I'll let you down if you give me the case," Courtney said, tightening the hold, causing me to wince in pain.

"Hey, is that Duncan?" DJ noted, pointing in another direction.

"Oh, I'm not falling for tha--" Duncan's scream shut her up. I looked to the source and saw Duncan being chased by a moose. Hmm, his ankle healed up rather nicely.

The punk ran into the lodge, moose in tow, but when they left, the moose was being chased, by Duncan holding the moose head trophy.

"WOO-HOO!!" Courtney whooped. "Go, honey, go!"

"I'm coming for you next, sweetheart!" Duncan shouted, still chasing the moose around the camp.

And if that wasn't exciting enough...

"Is that the green jelly high dive?" Owen asked.

...They never cleaned that up?

Wait...

Oh, crap!

We're gonna crash! We're gonna--

AAH!!

The bear reached the gondola!

What are we going to--?

"We have to jump for it!" Tyler said.

Now realizing the danger she was also in (I assume), Courtney let me go. I rubbed my tender neck.

"We'll all die!" We'll be dead if we stay, too, Owen! "Are you crazy?!"

"He's right," I agreed with Tyler. "It's the only way!" And in a split second, I grew a pair (I would need to by this point with all these crotch shots). "On the count of three! One! Ohh..." Okay, so I was still scared as hell. But this had to be done. "Two! Gah! ...THREE!"

The boys and I charged off the balloon, landing on the high dive. It swayed from the added weight. It also didn't help that Sadie, Katie, Geoff, and Bridgette were also on the platform.

"Whooooa, AAAAHH!!"

"SUCKERS!!" Courtney, jump! Did you forget about the bear?! Apparently she did, because she was holding out the case triumphantly. "I'll call you from my hot tub phone at my new mansion in--" And that's when she was reminded of the bear's presence.

Screaming, she jumped down from onto the high dive as well, between us and the other four on the platform.

Look who's cornered now.

Somehow, Courtney still was able to keep us from getting the case. Sadly, she didn't even have to hold _me_ back. I simply couldn't reach the case.

Courtney wouldn't keep the case, though. Leshawna was added into the mix at some point. Somehow getting on Geoff's shoulders, she leaned over to grab the case, and accidentally pushed it out of Courtney's grasp.

"NOOOO!!"

The case fell from the high-dive, and bounced off the side of the tub. Man, for a suitcase, that thing can bounce.

"Guys!" We looked down to see Gwen and Trent appear from below. They sighed with relief. "You alright up there?"

"Did you see the case, Gwen?" I asked, and Courtney smacked me upside the head. "Ow! What's that for?"

"That case is going to be mine! You hear me? MINE!" Courtney shouted at us.

"Courtney, wake up and smell the coffee! The case bounced towards camp! There's no way we're going to get down from here on time before someone else picks it up and wins!"

"Thanks, Cody!" Trent shouted as he and Gwen ran off toward camp.

"Well, at least it's Gwen and Trent," Bridgette said, smiling. "I mean, that million dollars would have been nice, but if there was anyone I'd pick to--"

"You switched to Owen's side during the finale," Leshawna muttered.

"...Yeah, I feel bad for that," Bridgette said, biting her lip. "That was a mistake."

"I'm right here, you know," Owen said uneasily.

"Well, I don't care what you say!" Courtney shouted. "I _will_ win this competition! And I'm not going to let you stop me!"

No one budged.

"...Courtney, we're on a high-dive above a pool of green jelly," I told her. "You're not going anywhere."

"Uh, guys?" Bridgette started to speak, but no one listened.

"Yeah, Courtney! We're not letting you win the money after what you put us through!" Tyler said, pissing off the CIT even more.

"Guys!"

"You better let me down, or I will SUE all of you!" Courtney threatened. Still, no one budged.

"GUYS!!"

Finally we shut up long enough for Bridgette to speak. Unfortunately, it was a little too late. "INCOMING!!"

We looked up to where she pointed. Oh... my... Go--

**SLAM!!**

...This is bad, isn't it?

...

**KSSSH!!**

"AAAAAAAHHH!!"

Yep. Really bad.

Remember when I said the rope was getting a little more loose? Well, as it turns out, because of all the times we were hanging and moving around awkwardly, the rope had been loosening more and more over the past hour. And it was just loose enough now for us four to slip out of it during this final fall.

And I was one of the lucky two in our group that fell into the green jelly pool below.

-X-

The moment I emerged from the jelly, I wanted to submerge back into it, just to drown out the screams.

"AAAAHH!!" Courtney quickly stumbled out of the pool. "EWW!! It touched me! That green jelly touched me! AAAH!!"

Ugh... Go jump in the lake, Court.

...Wait...

The case!

Did... Did someone win?

I struggled out of the pool and ran toward camp. I remembered hearing some sort of commotion after I fell in, but I had no idea what happened.

"So, who won?" Tyler asked, now appearing aside me.

"I don't know. But it definitely wasn't us," I said, and I frowned when I noticed his disappointment.

"Ugh... Maybe we should have offered to split the money with Courtney."

I rolled my eyes, a little peeved. "Yeah, yeah, we should have, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry about that." He rubbed the back of his head. "It is a million bucks, you know."

"I know."

"And we were kinda caught up in the moment..."

_"I know."_

Tyler sighed. "Sorry, man. I--"

"Look, don't apologize, okay?" I stopped him. "What's done is done. And besides, you know I didn't care as much about the money."

"You didn't?"

"Nope. I told you I didn't need the money, and I meant it. I was just looking out for our backs. A lot of good that did us, though." I rubbed my neck again. "I guess I'm just not a good leader, huh?"

"I don't remember you ever being the leader, dude," Tyler said, chuckling.

That made me feel better right there. "Yeah, DJ was assuming that role a lot, wasn't he?"

By then, we had reached the dock, where we could faintly hear Duncan saying, "Oh, forget this! I didn't agree to season two." Wait, what?

I turned to the others standing on the dock. "What happened?" I whispered.

"It was a 'tie,'" Noah said. "And Chris just revealed the tie-breaker."

Wait... so he's making _another_ season?!

Tyler and I stepped forward, closer to the end of the dock. That's when I noticed the persons in the water. I took special note of one of them in particular.

Oh, no...

Please, Chris... She's had enough. Don't torture her anymore...

Unfortunately, I didn't have a say in it either.

"As for the rest of you," Chris said, drawing attention to us as Courtney passed us on the dock, "your treasure hunt ends here, along with all your hopes of ever winning _any_ money off of being on this show. The good news though: you'll be watching all the action on season two from the sidelines!"

Oh, man...

No, I'm not upset because I'm not on the show anymore. Come on, you saw the "begging" just a few paragraphs ago. Season two was still floating through my head, and if it was anything like season one...

Gwen... please be careful...

"Wait a minute!" Courtney apparently didn't feel the same way about season two as I did. "I want to be on season two!"

"Tut-tut-tut-tut!" Chris shut her up. "Fine print."

You know, I think Chris really does like to piss people off on purpose. But at least in Courtney's case, I couldn't help but feel... a little amused by it. I mean, she _did_ threaten to kill me, after all.

"In exactly two days," Chris announced, "you will all report to a new location for a whole new challenge, and the last one standing will receive one... million... dollars! So don't forget to tune in to Total!" He pulled out a movie slate. "Drama!" He clicked it. "Action!"

...

"Where did you get that movie slate?" I asked as Chris continued to keep his, uh, slate clicking pose.

"...We'll edit that out later."

**-X-**

**It's not quiiiite over yet. There will be at least one more chapter for this particular fic, maybe two. Thank you all for sticking with me until "the end" (though we certainly know that's not the case). Once **_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister **_**is done, be sure to look for **_**Façade: Behind the Scenes **_**to see what "Cody" has to say about season two. :D**

**Now for some special shout-outs. First of all, don't quote me on this, but I believe the Kobold Necromancer had a very brief shout-out to this fic at one point during the train challenge in **_**Total Drama Comeback II: Total Drama Battlegrounds**_**. And even if that's not the case, dammit, read his stuff anyway. XD He's been a real inspiration for many an author, including me, and if you read his fanfictions, you'll know why.**

**Another shout-out goes to just about every novelization I've ever read on this site, including (but not limited to) **_**Total Duncan Island **_**and... I don't remember what the Final Fantasy VI one that I read was called (it's been a while since I've read it), but they were big inspirations for this as well, at least in the beginning.**

**Still not done. XD Graces of the Child, if I recall correctly, had recommended **_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister **_**on TV Tropes, and continues to be a faithful reader and critic of this fanfic. And yes, I am thanking Graces for being a critic. XD I probably wouldn't handle being critiqued by Vil--oh, better not finish that. I'm only jinxing myself.**

**Don't think I'm playing favorites though. All of you readers and reviewers, I thank each and every one of you. You are the main reason why I don't want to abandon this project like I have with others in the past. And you made it past the prologue without assuming the whole thing would suck, so kudos for that. XD (Hey, 5000 plus hits for the prologue chapter, and around 800 for the next one. Something tells me I should have started this out a little differently, I guess... XD)**


	59. I'll Always Be There

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Chapter Fifty-Eight: I'll Always Be There**_

I looked up at Gwen for the umpteenth time since we've been back at the Playa des Losers. She wouldn't eat, and I was getting awfully worried.

Don't get me wrong. I understood why she was like this. She thought she was going home, possibly with a huge chunk of change. But even so, she probably would have rather left with nothing than go through another season of Chris's seventh layer of hell he called Total Drama.

I tried to talk to Chris about it earlier. "Please, Chris... Can't you put Courtney in her place?"

"I believe I already 'put Courtney in her place', Cody."

"You know what I mean."

"I can't say that I do."

"I mean you can switch in Courtney and take out Gwen, can't you? I mean, Courtney does want to be in season two."

"Why are you helping out Courtney? She almost killed you."

"I'm helping out Gwen!"

"By keeping her away from Trent? Pfft! And I suppose you just want her around to, you know, do things behind Trent's back."

I gave up after that. Stupid Chris... I don't care if he is a genius. He'll always be a friggin' idiot, because he will never accept anyone's ideas or feelings but his own.

"Gwen." I finally got the courage to address her. "Please eat."

She just slouched down, hiding her head in her arms.

"Gwen--"

"Leave me alone, Cody."

"But--"

"She said leave her alone," Trent interrupted me, and I shut my mouth.

"Stupid season two..." Heather growled from across the room. "You know, this is all your fault, Harold."

"My fault? How is it my fault?" Harold defended himself. "You were the one that tried to run off with the case. It was my mad skills that got us the case in the first place."

"If you would have built a working hang glider, I could have won this stupid competition!"

"You wouldn't have even gotten the case if I wouldn't have used my mad skills to--"

"Would you SHUT UP about your freaking mad skills already?!" Courtney shouted from another table. "You sound like a broken record!"

Noah scoffed. "So says the girl that must always let us know she used to be a--"

"I am nowhere near as bad as that traitorous buffoon!"

I pushed my plate away from me. I couldn't take much more of this. "Okay, I'm done here."

"What's with you?" Trent asked me as I stood up.

"I lost my appetite. Gwen, you can have my food if you get hungry. I'm going to bed." I was about to walk away before Owen stopped me.

"Can I have your food, Cody?"

I stopped, turning to Owen rather bitterly. "Gee, I don't know, Owen. Why should I?" And I began listing reasons why I shouldn't. "You started this whole mess by giving in to temptation, your digestive track has horrible timing, you agitated a bear, you ran us off a cliff, you did nothing to help me get out of Courtney's headlock hold, and even though our lives were on the line, you were one of the four greedy people who would rather us all die instead of lose the case." I probably looked a little crazy, having chuckled right there. "Why should I let you have my food?"

Yes, I was well aware of all the eyes now fallen on me, and I didn't care. There were consequences to this greed; wouldn't it be wise for someone to point it out?

But I felt it didn't matter. When was I the voice of reason? Me, the perverted stalker that can't keep it in his pants. And not the bread, either.

It didn't matter anymore. It was obvious now. As long as we were greedy, Chris's game would continue. How do I know this? Well, look at the beginning of the day! If it wasn't for Owen's greed, the challenge would have never started, and if it wasn't for everyone else's greed (including my own, I admit), this game would not have continued.

But it did. And we only had ourselves to blame.

Chris may be a manipulative son of a bitch, but it's our faults for being so easily manipulated.

With nothing more to say to Owen, or anyone else in the cafeteria, I just walked out. Toward my room, to be precise. It really didn't matter anymore. Chris had won. He always won. Ever since the beginning, he was winning. Everything was and would be manipulated into whatever Chris had wanted us and the world to think.

Want an example? Well, he cut out his involvement with Courtney's elimination, for starters. He wanted people to hate Harold and love Courtney. He also wanted people to love Harold and hate Courtney. Why would he want this? Well, there's a simple answer to that. How entertaining is it for someone like Chris to watch people fight over trivial matters, and take it so seriously? And he would do the same with just about all of us.

The man is a master-manipulator. You'd have to be to make it in television, after all. Watch the news once. Is everything you see in the news true? Or is it just want they _want_ you to see? And let's face it. Chris is a genius when it comes to manipulating. He knows exactly what to say and how to say it. It's how he tricked us into voting people on the show. It's how he tricked us into voting off Leshawna, too. And that's just what he did at the Playa des Losers. Imagine all the manipulating he did in the actual show.

But I digress. This story is not about Chris. And that's why I can say whatever I want about him. If the story's not about him, he wouldn't bother to listen to it.

I have no idea how long I was in my room, alone, when I heard someone knock. Expecting Noah or Tyler, I allowed them to come in.

"Hey." I froze up. I wasn't expecting her. "Just so you know, I ate."

"That's good." I tried to smile at her, but there was nothing really backing it up, so it fell back to a frown.

She walked over and sat next to me on my bed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Well, considering the events of this past day, I'm happy to be alive."

"You don't seem very happy," she said, folding her arms. "I would be ecstatic if I were you. You don't have to worry about Chris anymore."

"No, I guess not," I agreed to that, "but... I still have to worry about you... and the others, of course," I quickly added.

"Of course," she repeated; I think she caught on that I forced that last bit out. "I still think you should be considering yourself lucky you're not in the contest anymore." She smiled, giving me a little nudge.

I smiled back briefly, but again it quickly reverted back to a frown. "Come on, Gwen, you know me. I'm, like, the unluckiest guy here. Why would I consider myself a lucky person just because I managed to fall into a large tub of jelly?"

"What do you mean you're not lucky?" she asked. Okay, now I'm confused.

"I got mauled by a bear."

"You lived."

"I fell off a cliff."

"You lived."

"Courtney almost killed me!"

"You lived."

Okay, I see where this is going. But it's not working, Gwen. "How is it lucky that I live through an unlucky situation just to find myself in another unlucky situation?"

"Because you're still here." She sighed, despite the fact that she was still smiling somewhat. "Cody, you have no idea how relieved I was when I saw you that day. You know, when Owen and I were racing for the hundred grand? I had no idea if you were okay or not. And you were walking, running, smiling... And you looked like you had never been hurt at all! It was like... it never happened."

"It did, though."

"I know, but..." She paused, her lips now flipped to a frown. "Cody, I didn't even know you were alive." She placed a hand on my shoulder, holding it as if I would actually die if she let go. "I don't... I don't think I would ever forgive myself if you died. I mean, I did chase you off, and all..."

"Gwen..."

"Heather didn't even stay in the group--"

"I know. I was there, remember?"

"I know, but--"

"Gwen, you knew I wasn't dead anyway. You saw me--"

"It's not just that, Cody. You were bumped into the lake, too, remember?" she reminded me. "Who knows what could have happened to you on the way home, or I guess while you were here."

Well... I guess she has a point...

But still...

"But I'm alive now, aren't I?" I asked her, though the answer was obvious.

"That's my point," she said, smiling again. "Honestly, with all that's happened to you, I don't think you _should_ be alive right now."

"...Huh?"

She slapped herself in the forehead. "That came out wrong. Sorry. But you know what I mean, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Finally, I was able to smile genuinely, something she seemed happy to see. "I still wish you didn't have to go through this again."

"I know," she muttered, now looking a little upset, though I could safely say it wasn't towards me. "I really want to be home right now. I miss my mom. And my bro."

"They seem nice," I quickly said, which made it sound somewhat awkward, but at least I didn't fumble over my words.

"They are." She stood up. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," I assured her. "Today just wasn't a good day... for any of us, really."

"You got that right." She walked toward the door. "So... catch you later, okay?"

"Sure."

"Right." She stepped out of my room.

I fell back on the bed after she left, my arms sprawled out and sighing elatedly. Hey, she touched my shoulder. And she was sitting on my bed.

But really, I was mostly ecstatic about the fact that... well... she actually cared. ...Okay, so I already knew that, but... for some reason it always felt so surreal. I mean, come on. After the way I treated her? After the way I acted around her? Why should she even look in my direction?

I'm sure most guys in my position would have gotten a restraining order against them after day one.

Maybe I was lucky after all...

-X-

_"Here is your winner of Total Drama Action... GWEN!"_

_Yep. I was already dreaming about TDA, surprisingly. It wasn't very accurate, but how could I have known what it'd be like at this point anyway?_

_"I gotta hand it to you, that topless scene was the real kicker, Gwen." Aw, man! I missed that part! "Of course, if Lindsay was in the final two with you, you probably would have lost, so it's a good thing you were competing against Heather." Aw, come on! "Congratulations." Can't we rewind this dream a little bit?_

_"This is prejudice!" Heather whined. "Just because I don't have hair..."_

_"No one cares, Heather." Chris handed Gwen the final marshmallow. "Here is the ultimate symbol of survi--"_

_"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Where's my check?" Gwen asked impatiently._

_"Uh... yeah... This is the prize, Gwen."_

_"...What?"_

_"What, you didn't think we'd really give you a million dollar check..."_

_Gwen kneed him in the crotch, and the host fell in pain. Hurr, hurr, hurr._

_"Alright, fine!" the host squeaked. "You can... have a million... dollars! Just... don't touch the hair!"_

_Chef handed the check to Gwen. "You have won a million dollars. What are you gonna do now?"_

_"I'm going to redo the topless scene for Cody!" Yay!_

And then I woke up.

Aw, I can never catch a break...

-X-

As far as I was concerned, I had two days left with Gwen before she would be gone for what could be a long six weeks, according to what Chris said the next morning.

I really wished I could be there for Gwen. It felt like I was just, uh, "reunited" with her (even though I was never actually... you know... united with her to begin with), and now she was being ripped away again. I know, I shouldn't be thinking stuff like that; she has a boyfriend, after all... but I still felt that... I should at least let her know how I felt about her. I wanted her to know that I cared for her and... stuff. But that's the problem. How can I tell her without her getting the wrong impression?

And that's why I couldn't say a word.

I told you already, I almost completely blew it. I made some bad mistakes, and almost lost Gwen in the process. And I would have if I hadn't come to my senses.

But dammit... I really wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell her everything.

What do I do?

...

You know what? Screw it. I'm going to tell her. Even if it's not a full confession of my feelings, I'm telling her _something_ so I can get this damned monkey off my back!

I wanted her to know how I felt. I _needed_ her to know how I felt.

Because I'm going to go insane with all this if I don't.

And... who knows? Maybe she won't take it the wrong way. Maybe she'll appreciate the gesture. Maybe she'll even consider it in the future. Not that I'm counting on that, though.

So I'm going to tell her. Something, anything. I'm telling her _something_.

"Gwen?"

I found her at the pool again, this time a little happier than she was after the million dollar challenge. It probably didn't hurt that she was talking to Trent and Leshawna. And as much as I hated to break this group up...

"Hey, Gwen, can I speak to you in private?"

"You can't say it here?" she asked, seeming curious about what I have to say. "Come on, sit down."

"I'd prefer it just be in private," I said. "Sorry, Trent, Leshawna, but it's... something personal, and..."

"We understand, shug," Shawny smiled at me. "Gwen, go talk to the boy. We'll wait here."

"Don't try anything, Cody," Trent joked... or at least I hope that was a joke.

"I promise I won't," I assured him. "I just need to talk to Gwen, that's all."

Shrugging, Gwen got up and walked toward me. I led her to the docks, where no one seemed to be.

"So... what's this about?" she asked when we stopped walking.

I took a deep breath. I knew this was going to be harder than I thought, but... "Gwen, please promise me you'll let me speak and won't jump to conclusions."

That caused her to frown. Great. So far, so good. "Uh... okay. What's up?"

"Okay, look..." I took another deep breath. "I-I know you don't like me... like that, and I understand tha--"

"Cody..."

"Gwen, remember what you promised."

"Right, right. Sorry."

Yet another deep breath, I took. "I know you don't like me like that, but..." I paused. Crap! I don't know what to say! Ugh! I knew this was going to happen! "...but... I just want you to... to know that I, uh... I still care about... you, and..." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, chuckling a little. "...I still... like you... like that, and... I want you to know that... I'm always there, and..." I bit my lip. What else could I say? ...Wait... "...And I will support you no matter what." There, now that wasn't so hard, was it? ...Yes, that was sarcasm. I didn't even know if that was really what I wanted to say, but... at least it actually did take a weight off my shoulders.

Even better still, Gwen actually didn't find it creepy. "Thanks, Cody," she said, patting my shoulder. "That... means a lot to me, actually."

"It does?"

She nodded. "It's always nice to know someone cares. And it's also nice to know you've got my back."

Then... she gave me a hug.

The butterflies, they are fluttering again.

"So, how come you didn't want to say anything in front of the others?"

"Eh, you know," I tried to explain, "I was already afraid of how _you_ would interpret that. Imagine if I had to be afraid of how Shawny and Trent would interpret that."

"Ah, I wouldn't have been worried about Shawny." She let go of me. "Trent, on the other hand..."

"Oh, don't even joke," I muttered. "The last thing I'd want is Trent rearranging my face."

"I doubt he would actually do that," she chuckled.

"Well, I don't want to press my luck, either," I added, scratching my nose. "So... good luck, 'kay?"

"Thanks," she said, smiling genuinely. "I'm gonna need it."

I returned the smile, flashing my practically trademarked gap-tooth grin. "Well, I'm glad you're in a better mood about it. So... that was... pretty much it. And Trent and Shawny are probably waiting for you."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

We embraced for a moment, and I nearly fainted. The butterflies would have burst out of my gut if we had hugged for a second longer.

Once we separated, I waved as she walked back up toward the resort. Sighing, I lay down on one of the chairs on the dock, staring up at the clear blue sky.

"It's almost as beautiful as she is," I said to myself, closing my eyes and smiling like a goofy idiot.

"That was the corniest thing I've ever heard."

My eyes shot open, and I noticed I wasn't alone on the dock. "Oh, hey, Noah..." Good; I was hoping the inner Noah was gone, now.

He lay down on the chair next to mine. "I take it you were talking about Gwen?"

"Yeah..." I mumbled, blushing a little. "Isn't it obvious by now?"

"Oh, yeah. Very."

I stared out into the waters of the lake. Damn, why does everything beautiful have to look blue?

"You know, Cody... with her being on another season, you probably won't see her for a while again."

I shrugged, my eyes not leaving the water. After a pause, I finally answered verbally. "I don't care."

"Hmm?"

I turned to see Noah and smirked. "I want her to compete. I want her to win. And I'm gonna support her no matter what."

Noah shook his head, a small smirk on his own face. "You're an enigma, Cody. I don't envy whoever tries to figure you out."

I chuckled, looking back toward the water. "Yeah, you're right... I don't think I've even quite figured myself out yet."

"Can't be any worse than what you thought you had figured out before, right?"

I frowned. "Not exactly the words I wanted to hear."

"Oh, suck it up."

**-X-**

**Though this is pretty much the final chapter of the fic, I'm going to add a little epilogue at the end.**

**Thank you all for reading. :)**


	60. The Epilogue

_**Façade: Through the Eyes of the Codemeister**_

_**Epilogue**_

So yeah... Think what you want about me. Am I a stalker? Probably. Am I a pervert? Even I won't deny that.

But I hope that after hearing my story you notice that I'm not just some freak. I'm capable of loving. I'm capable of caring. I don't just have a one-track mind. There's more to me than what meets the eye.

But my adventures are far from over. No, there's more to this story. And you don't even know half of it... yet. Why? Well, it should be obvious--I wasn't in Total Drama Action, after all. And it's not like I disappeared off the face of the planet while this was all going down.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Total Drama Action, let me explain a few things to you. If you thought Total Drama Island was hell for all of us, you haven't seen anything yet. Things got so out of hand in TDA, even the sanest of us campers had lost their minds.

No one would have expected half of the horrible things that happened on Total Drama Action. We figured after the trials of TDI, things wouldn't be so bad for the TDA contestants. After all, they would know what to expect, right?

We were wrong.

Things were about to get so much worse...

**-Rrrrr-**

...Huh? Oh! My phone.

Hold on a second, please.

**-Rrrrr-**

Hello?

"Hey, Cody."

G-Gwen?

"You wanted to chat?"

Y-yeah, yeah. Sure! So... what's up?

**-X-**

**Not much of an ending, but I felt going full-circle like this would be a nice finish for the story. :)**

**Again, thank you all for reading and reviewing. And be sure to keep an eye out for TOTAL... DRAMA... wait... my bad. Keep an eye out for **_**Façade: Behind the Scenes**_**! :D**

**Total Drama is owned by Fresh TV, Cake Entertainment, Teletoon, blah, blah.**


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